Brief Pain Exposure Therapy (BPET) for Nociplastic Pain

This study is testing a behavioral treatment called Brief Pain Exposure Therapy (BPET) delivered through Zoom. It aims to help adults with fibromyalgia (widespread body pain), lupus, chronic pelvic pain, and chronic low back pain learn ways to reduce their pain, disability, and related issues like depression or anxiety. The study will measure success by looking at changes in your pain intensity using a Numeric Pain Rating Scale between the start of the study and day 60. We don't have information on the current recruitment status for this study.

Study design: This is an interventional study with a planned enrollment of 125 participants. It is not specified if it is randomized or blinded.
What's involved: You would complete daily logs for 7 days before treatment, 21 days during the 3-week Brief Pain Exposure Therapy, and 7 days after treatment. Fibromyalgia participants only will complete the daily logs.
Compensation: Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up: Your pain intensity will be measured on Day 1 and Day 60.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

Brief Pain Exposure Therapy (BPET) For Nociplastic Pain

Recruiting

NAAges 18+InterventionalTreatment

University of Michigan

~125 participants

Updated 2026-05-11 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What's tested:Brief pain exposure therapy (BPET)

At a glance

Recruiting sites

1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now

RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open

What they're measuring

Change in pain intensity based on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale between day 1 (T1) and day 60 (T5)

Measured over Day 1, Day 60

Conditions

Fibromyalgia

Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic

Chronic Pelvic Pain

Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP)

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states

Michigan1

Study leadership

John Sturgeon, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Michigan

Who to contact

Beth Banner

[email protected]

734-998-5837

Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Able to read, write and speak English

Internet access and audio-visual conferencing capability (e.g., Zoom meetings by phone or computer) in the home

Physician diagnosis of fibromyalgia

OR: meet 2016 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Criteria for FM: Widespread pain index score is ≥ 7 and symptom severity scale score is ≥ 5, or widespread pain index score is 4 to 6 and symptom severity score is ≥ 9

OR: have pain self-reported in 4 out of 7 body regions in the General Sensory Sensitivity (GSS)-brief body map AND Opioid Use Disorder diagnosis by a physician.

Physician diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus

AND: Have pain self-reported in 4 out of 7 body regions in the GSS-brief body map

AND: No change in medications or steroid dose for one month prior to entry (to avoid oscillation of steroid dosing during the study due to active disease).

Low Back Pain for at least half the days over the past 6 months

Over the past 7 days, an average pain intensity of at least 4 out of 10

Exclusion

Indication of a co-occurring (non-fibromyalgia OR non-lupus) cause of chronic pain (e.g., inflammatory arthritis, other autoimmune disorders, spinal cord injury, cancer)

Currently receiving cognitive-behavioral therapy or other psychological therapies for pain

Open litigation regarding chronic pain in the past 1 year, as assessed in preliminary study screening.

Inability to provide informed consent and complete study procedures (e.g., indications of suspected major cognitive impairment via observations of study staff during consenting) that would preclude comprehension or participation in study protocols.

Pregnant or breastfeeding

Any other diseases or conditions that would make a patient unsuitable for study participation as determined by the site principal investigators.

Lupus group only: taking \>10 mg prednisone (or equivalent steroid) dose per day as an indicator of ongoing disease activity (with no other strict exclusions based on medications)

Chronic Pelvic Pain group only: surgery for any chronic pelvic pain related condition in the past 6 months

Chronic low back pain only: scheduled back surgery; leg pain that is greater than your back pain

What this trial measures

Change in pain intensity based on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale between day 1 (T1) and day 60 (T5)Day 1, Day 60
This is a one item scale that participants answer worst pain experienced from no pain (0) to worst pain imaginable (10).

Trialytics