A Study on the Effects and Mechanisms of Non-invasive Acupoint Stimulation in Intervening in High Stress Sensitivity Among Young and Middle-aged Women With Qi Stagnation Constitution

March 27, 2026 updated by: ChinaNorm
This is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial with a cross-over component. It investigates the effect of non-invasive acupoint stimulation on stress in young and middle-aged women. A total of 90 participants will be enrolled: 60 with a Liver-Qi Stagnation constitution and high perceived stress, and 30 without this constitution as a non-intervention baseline control. The 60 participants with the target constitution will be randomized into two groups. One group (n=30) will undergo a cross-over intervention, sequentially receiving steam-warm acupressure and simple acupressure (at five acupoints) in a randomized order, separated by a washout period. The other group (n=30) will receive placebo stimulation. The primary outcome is the change in the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) score. Secondary outcomes include physiological stress responses.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
90

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
      • Shanghai, China
        • Shanghai China-norm Quality Technical Service Co., Ltd., Shanghai, Shanghai 200072

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female, aged 20-40 years.
  • Regular daily routine with relatively fixed wake-up and bedtimes, sufficient sleep (7-9 hours), regular diet, moderate physical activity, and avoidance of shift work.
  • Intact structure of major organ systems, with no active diseases or pathological damage.
  • Regular menstrual cycle (21-35 days) and normal menstrual period (3-7 days).

  • For the experimental group (Qi Yu constitution group):

    • Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) score ≥ 43.
    • Qi Yu Constitution Subscale score ≥ 40.

    • Diagnosis by a qualified TCM physician according to standard procedures, confirming characteristics of Qi Yu constitution, including (physical symptoms partially required):

      • Body type: Tending to be thin.
      • Psychological characteristics: Introverted, unstable, sensitive, suspicious, with significant emotional fluctuations.
      • Somatic symptoms: Fullness or migrating pain in the chest and hypochondrium, frequent sighing; sensation of a foreign body in the throat (globus hystericus); sleep disturbances (difficulty falling asleep, early awakening). Poor appetite, frequent belching.
      • Tongue and pulse: Pale red tongue with thin white coating, wiry and thin pulse.

  • For the control group (non-Qi Yu constitution group):

    • Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) score ≤ 42.
    • Qi Yu Constitution Subscale score < 30.
    • No relevant clinical manifestations upon TCM examination.
  • Signed informed consent form, voluntarily participating in the trial.
  • Willing to comply with all testing requirements.
  • No infection or bleeding tendency on the skin of the five acupoint areas (GV20/Baihui, LI4/Hegu, LR3/Taichong, PC6/Neiguan, SP6/Sanyinjiao), not affecting the use of the study products.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participation in any other clinical trial evaluation within the past 1 month.
  • Presence of organic diseases, such as various malignant tumors, certain chronic diseases (heart disease, diabetes, anemia, etc.), certain gynecological diseases (uterine fibroids, endometriosis, severe mammary hyperplasia, etc.), or certain endocrine diseases (hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, etc.).
  • Individuals with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction, such as those with endocrine diseases (e.g., hyper/hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, primary chronic adrenocortical insufficiency).
  • Individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder or anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc.
  • Use of antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, glucocorticoids, or immunosuppressants within the past 4 weeks.
  • Recent (within the past 3 months) suicidal ideation or self-harm behavior.
  • Receipt of acupuncture, massage, or other TCM treatments or psychological interventions (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy) within the past 4 weeks.
  • Suffering from autoimmune diseases requiring long-term use of hormones.
  • Alcohol or drug dependence.
  • Experienced major stressful life events (e.g., bereavement of a close relative suffering a major psychological blow) in the past year.
  • Physically weak or unable to tolerate the arithmetic stress in the MIST task.
  • Conditions such as epilepsy, hypertension, or heart disease that are unsuitable for undergoing induced psychological stress.
  • Inability to cooperate in completing the MIST task (e.g., due to visual/auditory impairment, cognitive dysfunction).
  • Inability or unwillingness to attend all study visits and comply with the treatment regimen.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Other: Steam-warm and Simple Acupressure Crossover Group
Non-invasive acupoint stimulation
Other: Non-invasive Steam-warm Acupoint Stimulation
Participants will use a self-use device to apply steam-warm acupoint stimulation at five acupoints (GV20/Baihui, PC6/Neiguan, LI4/Hegu, SP6/Sanyinjiao, LR3/Taichong). The device consists of a main body (Part A) containing a heating element and high-hardness non-woven protrusions, secured by a adjustable strap (Part B). Stimulation is applied for 20 minutes per session, 3 times per week.
Other: Non-invasive Pressure Acupoint Stimulation
Participants will use a self-use device to apply pressure-only acupoint stimulation at the same five acupoints as above. The device is visually similar to the steam-warm device but Part A contains a non-heating, shaped hard sheet and high-hardness non-woven protrusions. It is secured by the same adjustable strap (Part B). Stimulation is applied for 20 minutes per session, 3 times per week.
Other: Placebo Control
Other: Placebo Acupoint Stimulation
Participants will use a self-use device designed to mimic the active intervention devices in appearance. The device's Part A contains a non-heating, shaped hard sheet and low-hardness non-woven protrusions that deliver minimal pressure, secured by the same adjustable strap (Part B). It is applied to the same five acupoints for 20 minutes per session, 3 times per week.
No Intervention: Healthy Baseline Control (No Intervention)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Change in Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) Score
Time Frame: From Baseline (Visit 1) to the end of each 4-week intervention phase (Visit 2 and, for the crossover group, Visit 4).
From Baseline (Visit 1) to the end of each 4-week intervention phase (Visit 2 and, for the crossover group, Visit 4).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Change in Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Parameters during Acute Stress
Time Frame: During each standardized acute stress task (MIST) conducted at Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
During each standardized acute stress task (MIST) conducted at Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
Change in Psychophysiological Response to the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST)
Time Frame: During each standardized acute stress task (MIST) conducted at Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
During each standardized acute stress task (MIST) conducted at Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
Change in Salivary Cortisol and 3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) Levels during Acute Stress
Time Frame: Saliva samples are collected at multiple timepoints (T0, T15, T20, T25, T30 minutes) during each standardized acute stress task (MIST) conducted at Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and after the second 4-week intervention.
Saliva samples are collected at multiple timepoints (T0, T15, T20, T25, T30 minutes) during each standardized acute stress task (MIST) conducted at Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and after the second 4-week intervention.

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Change in Medial Prefrontal Cortex (mPFC) Activation during Acute Stress measured by fNIRS
Time Frame: During each standardized acute stress task (MIST) conducted at Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
During each standardized acute stress task (MIST) conducted at Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
Change in Subjective Pressure Level measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)
Time Frame: Assessed at multiple time points during each standardized acute stress task (MIST) conducted at Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
Assessed at multiple time points during each standardized acute stress task (MIST) conducted at Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
Change in Sleep Quality measured by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Time Frame: At Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), after the 3-week washout (Week 7), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
At Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), after the 3-week washout (Week 7), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
Change in Depression Symptoms measured by Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS)
Time Frame: At Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), after the 3-week washout (Week 7), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
At Baseline (Week 0), after the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), after the 3-week washout (Week 7), and after the second 4-week intervention (Week 11, for the crossover group).
Change in Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) Score
Time Frame: From Baseline (Week 0) to the end of the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and for the crossover group also to the end of the second 4-week intervention (Week 11). Also assessed after the 3-week washout (Week 7).
From Baseline (Week 0) to the end of the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and for the crossover group also to the end of the second 4-week intervention (Week 11). Also assessed after the 3-week washout (Week 7).
Change in Sub-Health Measurement Scale Version 1.0 (SHMS V1.0) Score
Time Frame: From Baseline (Week 0) to the end of the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and for the crossover group also to the end of the second 4-week intervention (Week 11). Also assessed after the 3-week washout (Week 7).
From Baseline (Week 0) to the end of the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and for the crossover group also to the end of the second 4-week intervention (Week 11). Also assessed after the 3-week washout (Week 7).
Change in Health Status Questionnaire (Qi Yu Constitution) Score
Time Frame: From Baseline (Week 0) to the end of the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and for the crossover group also to the end of the second 4-week intervention (Week 11). Also assessed after the 3-week washout (Week 7).
From Baseline (Week 0) to the end of the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and for the crossover group also to the end of the second 4-week intervention (Week 11). Also assessed after the 3-week washout (Week 7).
Change in University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA) Score
Time Frame: From Baseline (Week 0) to the end of the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and for the crossover group also to the end of the second 4-week intervention (Week 11). Also assessed after the 3-week washout (Week 7).
From Baseline (Week 0) to the end of the first 4-week intervention (Week 4), and for the crossover group also to the end of the second 4-week intervention (Week 11). Also assessed after the 3-week washout (Week 7).

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
ChinaNorm

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 7, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 27, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 27, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 2, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 2, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 27, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • C25023004

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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