Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of Topical Capsaicin to Reduce Pain and Improve Health-related Quality of Life in Adults With Chronic Myofascial Neck Pain

• Status: Withdrawn
• Trial end date: 2010-11-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Chronic neck pain is a common condition that can negatively impact quality of life. Substance P is one of the chemicals in the body that can transmit pain signals from overloaded neck muscles to the brain. Topical capsaicin blocks the action of Substance P by releasing, and subsequently depleting the body's store of Substance P in the nerves. Topical capsaicin has been reported to be an effective therapy for a number of persistent pain conditions including diabetic neuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post-mastectomy pain. This study will evaluate the efficacy of topical capsaicin to reduce pain and improve health-related quality of life in adults with chronic muscular neck pain.

• Phase: Phase 2
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Stamford Hospital
• Treatments: Capsaicin

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults over 18 years of age

• Speak, read, and write English who have greater than 3 month duration of myofascial neck pain.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who have used capsaicin in the last 4 months and patients with allergy to capsaicin

• Rash/infection overlying neck and shoulder girdle area

• Radiculopathy or structural abnormalities in the area being treated

• Unstable underlying diseases such as cardiovascular, hepatic, renal and CNS disorders will be excluded from the study

• Pregnant or breast-feeding women will not be allowed to participate in the study, and women of child bearing age will be using an effective method of birth control.