Online Pain Education for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Not applicable · Testing Empowered Relief and Living Better with Chronic Pain · 1 site · Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Official record & contacts on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
In plain English
What this trial is testing
This study is testing Empowered Relief (a behavioral program) and Living Better with Chronic Pain (a behavioral program) as a possible treatment. Condition(s) listed: Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's Disease; Ulcerative Colitis).
Participants are assigned to groups by chance (randomized).
Some participants receive a placebo or sham for comparison.
It is blinded: participants and the study team do not know who receives what.
This study does not use drug-development phases (it may test a device, diet, procedure, app, or care approach).
Who can join
- Ages 18 and older
- Any sex
Some of the main requirements, copied from the record:
- Physician-confirmed diagnosis of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
- Chronic pain (visceral and/or somatic) related to IBD for at least 3 months
- NIH PROMIS Pain Interference scale T-score ≥60
Plus 5 more requirement(s). There are also 3 reasons someone might not be able to join (exclusion criteria). Only the trial team can confirm whether you qualify.
What's involved
- About 60 participants are expected to take part.
- Start date: 2026-08 (planned).
- Main results expected around 2027-07 (estimate from the record).
- 1 study site listed in United States.
Main thing being measured
- PROMIS Pain Interference (Baseline, then weekly post-treatment (Weeks 1-8))
In the researchers’ words
Through a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT), we aim to test the feasibility and preliminary impact of two online pain educations programs among adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who experience chronic pain. Each online program can be accessed on the patient's personal device, and will take about 2 hours to complete.
This is a short automatic summary built from the official record. A fuller plain-English card is coming; until then, please read the official record.
Questions to ask your doctor and the trial team
- Am I likely to qualify, given my health history?
- What would I have to do, and how often would I need to visit?
- Could I get a placebo? What happens to my current treatment?
- What are the possible risks and benefits?
- Are travel or other costs covered?
- What happens after the trial ends?
Official details
| Status | Not yet recruiting |
|---|---|
| Phase | Not applicable |
| Study type | Interventional |
| Conditions | Crohn's Disease; Ulcerative Colitis (UC); Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's Disease; Ulcerative Colitis) |
| Lead sponsor | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Start date | 2026-08 |
| Primary completion (est.) | 2027-07 |
| First posted | 2026-06-26 |
| Last updated | 2026-08-27 |
| Official title | Randomized Controlled Trial of Online Pain Education Programs for Inflammatory Bowel Disease |
| ClinicalTrials.gov ID | NCT07671313 |
Interventions
- Empowered Relief (Behavioral)
Empowered Relief is an online pain education program. Empowered Relief 'compresses' key cognitive behavioral therapy skills, mindfulness principles, and pain neuroscience education into a highly pragmatic, scalable, single 2-hour session. Taught via Zoom by certified instructors to large groups of patients, it teaches participants to identify unhelpful pain-related thoughts, manage physiological h… - Living Better with Chronic Pain (Behavioral)
Living Better with Chronic Pain is a 2-hour online health program that provides education regarding chronic pain mechanisms, nutrition and weight management, physical activity, working with healthcare providers, informed treatment decisions, and medication safety.
Full eligibility criteria (from the record)
Inclusion Criteria: * Physician-confirmed diagnosis of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis * Chronic pain (visceral and/or somatic) related to IBD for at least 3 months * NIH PROMIS Pain Interference scale T-score ≥60 * Medically stable, defined as: 1. No acute IBD-related hospitalization within the past 3 months; AND 2. No planned IBD surgery or planned therapeutic escalation within the next 2 months, including initiation of a new advanced therapy, dose escalation or switch of advanced therapy, or corticosteroid taper * Able to understand and complete questionnaires independently in English * Access to an internet-enabled device for online surveys and intervention access. Exclusion Criteria: * Cognitive impairment or other condition that, in the opinion of the investigators, would interfere with protocol participation * Current use of standing opioid medications, given the often severe impact of opioids on GI motility and potential for pharmacological visceral hyperalgesia * Prior participation in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) specifically targeting chronic IBD-related pain
Locations (1)
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | Los Angeles, California | United States |
For contacts at each site, use the official record.
Information only, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor and the trial team before making any decision about a clinical trial.