Fibromyalgia causes widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep problems that often don't respond well to standard pain medications. About 4 million U.S. adults have it, mostly women. Three FDA-approved drugs—pregabalin, duloxetine, and milnacitrin—help some people, but many still struggle to find effective treatment.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing drugs that target neuroinflammation and altered pain processing in the brain and spinal cord. Researchers are studying low-dose naltrexone, cannabinoids, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and drugs originally developed for other conditions. Studies are also looking at exercise programs, cognitive behavioral therapy, and how sleep disruption drives symptoms.
Neuroinflammation targets
Several drugs aim to calm immune cells in the brain that may amplify pain signals in fibromyalgia. Early trials suggest some people respond when inflammation pathways are addressed.
Low-dose naltrexone
This off-label use of an addiction drug appears to reduce pain and fatigue in some fibromyalgia patients. Larger trials are testing whether it works consistently and how to identify who will benefit.
Non-drug approaches
Studies are testing brain stimulation devices, specific exercise protocols, and digital cognitive behavioral therapy. Research suggests combining these with medication may work better than either alone.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on meeting diagnostic criteria for widespread pain, symptom duration, prior treatments tried, and whether other pain conditions have been ruled out.
What types of trials are currently open
- Drug trials — Testing new medications or repurposed drugs to reduce pain, improve sleep, or address fatigue. Many focus on brain and nerve pathways involved in pain processing.
- Device trials — Testing transcranial magnetic stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, and other devices that alter brain activity or pain signals.
- Behavioral trials — Studies of exercise programs, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and other approaches that help people manage symptoms and improve function.
- Combination trials — Testing whether pairing medication with exercise, therapy, or other treatments works better than single approaches.
- Biomarker studies — Research looking for blood tests, brain scans, or other markers that could identify fibromyalgia subtypes and predict treatment response.
Recently added Fibromyalgia trials
Take an herbal formula to help reduce fibromyalgia pain and improve quality of life
This prospective randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial is designed to address the current challenges in the clinical management of fibromyalgia (FM). We adopt Yangyin Roujin Formula, an empirical herbal prescription used in routine clinical practice, to evaluate its comprehensive therapeutic efficacy and safety in FM patients, including alleviating physical pain and common concomitant symptoms, improving physical function, and enhancing quality of life. Serum and fecal samples as well as brain MRI scans will be collected at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention. The underlying mechanisms of this formula will be explored from multiple dimensions, including serology, gut microbiota-metabolome profiling, and central neuroimaging, so as to clarify the therapeutic advantages of Yangyin Roujin Formula for FM treatment.
Receive manual therapy combined with exercises to treat chronic neck pain
This single-center, three-arm randomized controlled trial compares the effects of different myofascial release techniques, combined with a structured exercise program, on functional outcomes in individuals with chronic non-specific neck pain (CNNP). Eligible participants (aged 18 to 45 years, neck pain for at least 3 months, pain intensity VAS at least 3, and myofascial trigger points in the upper-quarter muscles) are allocated by simple randomization into three groups: * Conventional Therapy Group: hot pack, conventional TENS, and a structured exercise program. * Manual Myofascial Release Group: conventional therapy plus therapist-applied manual myofascial release. * Self-Myofascial Release Group: conventional therapy plus supervised self-applied myofascial release using a duo-ball, balls, and a massage stick/cane. All interventions are delivered 3 days per week for 6 weeks. The primary outcome is pain intensity. Secondary outcomes include pressure pain threshold and tolerance, cervical range of motion, muscle stiffness, craniovertebral angle, cervical proprioception, muscle strength and endurance, disability, neck awareness, multidimensional biopsychosocial status, sleep quality, quality of life, and kinesiophobia. The aim is to determine whether manual or self-applied myofascial release, added to exercise, produces greater functional improvement in people with chronic non-specific neck pain.
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