Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a Treatment for Chronic Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
- Conditions
- Diabetes MellitusNeuropathic Pain
- Interventions
- Other: Eye Movement Desensitization and ReprocessingOther: Attention control phase
- Registration Number
- NCT06171230
- Lead Sponsor
- Dijklander Ziekenhuis
- Brief Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in reducing pain intensity in individuals with chronic painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN). The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. Does EMDR therapy significantly reduce pain intensity in individuals with chronic PDN?
2. What is the impact of EMDR therapy on secondary outcomes, specifically anxiety, sleep disturbances, and personalized pain-related limitations? Additionally, the study will explore the correlation between pain scores and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in individuals with chronic PDN.
Participants will undergo EMDR therapy sessions, focusing on the processing of emotionally charged pain-related events and addressing the pain itself. Main tasks for participants include active engagement in EMDR therapy sessions. Treatment outcomes, including changes in pain intensity, anxiety levels, sleep quality, and personalized pain-related limitations, will be monitored throughout the study.
- Detailed Description
The study adopts a single-case experimental design, replicated nine times (N-of-1 study).
Research on the effectiveness of EMDR therapy for neuropathic pain is limited to studies on phantom pain (and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). In the case of CRPS, two case reports are available, and for phantom pain, there is one RCT with 60 participants and three studies with 10 or fewer participants, without a control group. In the phantom pain studies, EMDR therapy focused on processing memories of events leading to the onset and exacerbation of pain (initial injury, amputation) and pain-related memories with current emotional charge. Sometimes, but not always, these events were life-threatening, as seen in PTSD (American Psychiatric Association Painful experiences, such as falling on the stump, or anticipated catastrophes (nightmares or disaster fantasies) with current emotional charge, were also processed. In the CRPS studies, EMDR therapy targeted traumatic events, including those from childhood, and pain-related events. In all studies, after the events were processed, pain itself was taken as the target for EMDR therapy. The studies demonstrate that after EMDR therapy, pain intensity decreases, as do comorbid symptoms.
Research on the effectiveness of EMDR therapy as a treatment for chronic PDN, to the best of our knowledge, has not been conducted. The aim of the presented study is to investigate the effect of EMDR therapy on chronic PDN.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 10
Not provided
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- SINGLE_GROUP
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Attention control phase Participants will undergo six 90-minute EMDR sessions. The EMDR treatment concludes when the selected target images attain a Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) score of 0 or when three consecutive sessions show no further decrease in the SUD. Between the baseline phase (phase A) and the intervention phase (phase C), an attention control phase is introduced (phase B). This phase controls for the non-specific effects of the intervention, such as attention, treatment contact, and social support. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Participants will undergo six 90-minute EMDR sessions. The EMDR treatment concludes when the selected target images attain a Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) score of 0 or when three consecutive sessions show no further decrease in the SUD. Between the baseline phase (phase A) and the intervention phase (phase C), an attention control phase is introduced (phase B). This phase controls for the non-specific effects of the intervention, such as attention, treatment contact, and social support.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Pain intensity measured with the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) Pain intensity is assessed once daily in the evening for a maximum of 154 days (throughout all phases of the study (phase A, phase B, phase C, post-assessment phase, and follow-up phase.) The NRS is an 11-point numeric scale form 0 (no pain ) to 10 (worst pain)
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Pain Disability Index (PDI) Limitations in daily activities The selected questions from the PDI are assessed once daily in the evening for a maximum of 154 days (throughout all phases of the study (phase A, phase B, phase C, post-assessment phase, and follow-up phase.) Two questions from the PDI, deemed most relevant by the participant, are chosen in collaboration with the participant. The limitations are scored on an 11-point scale from 0 (no limitations) to 10 (fully restricted).
Quality of your sleep Sleep problems are assessed once daily in the evening for a maximum of 154 days (throughout all phases of the study (phase A, phase B, phase C, post-assessment phase, and follow-up phase.) Sleep problems are scored on an 11-point scale from 0 (least possible sleep) to 10 (best possible sleep).
Anxiety The anxiety level is assessed once daily in the evening for maximum of 154 days (throughout all phases of the study (phase A, phase B, phase C, post-assessment phase, and follow-up phase.) Anxiety is scored on an 11-point scale from 0 (no anxiety) to 10 (most imaginable anxiety).
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Dijklander Ziekenhuis
🇳🇱Hoorn, Netherlands