Weighted Blankets and Chronic Pain

University of California San Diego

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Pain Syndrome; Chronic Pain

Treatments: Device: weighted blanket

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04447885

200628

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of the study is to test whether the use of weighted blankets can change the experience of chronic pain and to examine if social, psychological, or health factors influence the perception of the blanket. Multiple blanket weights will be tested.

Enrollment: 133 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. 18 years or older
2. Fluent in English
3. Diagnosis of chronic pain (self-report; those already indicating this diagnosis on researchmatch.org)
4. Willing to sleep with a weighted blanket and fitness watch for 1 week
5. Able to safely lift up to 15lb
6. Willing and able to use their personal smartphone for fitness tracker app and EMA app to submit ratings using personal data plan

Exclusion criteria

1. Pregnancy
2. Major medical conditions such as kidney, liver, cardiovascular (hypertension, preexisting cardiac arrhythmia), autonomic, pulmonary, or neurological problems (e.g., seizure disorder)
3. Current or previous use of a weighted blanket
4. Claustrophobia

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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133 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental blanket

Experimental group

Description:

This blanket is the weight being tested which cannot be disclosed without unblinding participants.

Treatment:

Device: weighted blanket

Control blanket

Active Comparator group

Description:

This blanket is the control weight which cannot be disclosed without unblinding participants.

Treatment:

Device: weighted blanket