Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41212507›Full record

Trial reportIrish journal of medical science2026

Mind over pain: VR-based hypnotherapy for chronic non-specific low back pain - a randomised controlled trial.

Ahmet Kivanc Menekseoglu, Hatice Kubra Asik, Tugba Sahbaz, Enes Efe İs

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Irish journal of medical science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06698354 (Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Virtual Reality-Assisted Hypnotherapy Program on Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06698354 nanot yet recruitingnot on this map

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Virtual Reality-Assisted Hypnotherapy Program on Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: a Multicenter, Randomized, Prospective, Comparative, Open-Label, Parallel-Group Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of BeykentRan2024 to 2025Enrolled60ConditionsChronic Pain, Low Back Pain, Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP)ArmsVirtual Reality-Assisted Hypnotherapy, Standard Physical Therapy
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Ahmet Kivanc MenekseogluDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MVZ Berlinomed, Berlin, Germany. kivancmenekseoglu@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5126-3554
Hatice Kubra AsikDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Health Sciences University Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9462-9990
Tugba SahbazDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Beykent University, Istanbul, Turkey.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5974-8991
Enes Efe İsDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Health Sciences Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2910-2532

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder associated with pain, functional limitations, reduced quality of life, and increased healthcare costs. Virtual reality (VR)-mediated hypnotherapy combines immersive VR with hypnosis, offering a potential non-pharmacological intervention for CNSLBP.

aimTo evaluate the effects of VR-mediated hypnotherapy (VRH) on pain, functional status, sleep quality, quality of life, psychological outcomes, and healthcare expenditures in individuals with CNSLBP.

methodsIn this prospective, parallel group, randomized controlled trial, 60 participants with CNSLBP were randomly assigned to receive either standard physiotherapy alone (control group, n = 30) or physiotherapy plus 15 sessions of VRH (VR group, n = 30). Outcomes-including pain intensity, functional disability, sleep quality, quality of life, anxiety and depression, healthcare expenditures, and software usability-were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and six-week follow-up.

resultsVRH significantly reduced pain and functional disability and improved sleep quality and overall quality of life immediately post-intervention compared with control. At six weeks, only sleep improvements remained significant. Anxiety and depression scores did not differ between groups. Healthcare expenditures were significantly lower in the VR group at one month, but not at six months. The intervention was well tolerated, with transient side effects, and received a good usability rating (SUS: 72.4 ± 8.1).

conclusionsVRH is a feasible and well-tolerated adjunct to physiotherapy for CNSLBP, producing short-term improvements in pain, function, sleep, and quality of life, with early reductions in healthcare expenditures. Further, larger-scale trials are needed to confirm the long-term benefits and evaluate the potential for home-based implementation. CLINICALTRIALS: gov registration number: NCT06698354, Date: 21.11.2024.

Indexed as

Chronic PainHypnosisLow Back PainVirtual Reality Exposure TherapyAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPain MeasurementPhysical Therapy ModalitiesProspective StudiesQuality of LifeSleep QualityTreatment OutcomeChronic non-specific low back painHealthcare costsHypnotherapyPain managementRehabilitationVirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID41212507

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.