£2.3m trial to test new endometriosis pain programme

A £2.3 million UK-wide study will trial a tailored pain management programme for women with endometriosis whose symptoms persist after surgery or medication.

The study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), will investigate whether a tailor-made pain management plan can improve quality of life for women living with endometriosis.

The study will evaluate whether a remotely delivered endometriosis-specific Pain Management Programme (e-PMP) can offer a more effective, sustainable treatment for women whose pain is not adequately controlled by surgery or medication.

The five-year project is led by the University of Aberdeen in partnership with NHS Grampian, and is the first to test whether an e-PMP can improve the lives of women with endometriosis.

Dr Lucky Saraswat, honorary senior lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, consultant gynaecologist and lead for Aberdeen Endometriosis Centre in NHS Grampian, who is leading the study, said: “Endometriosis is one of the most common yet under researched causes of chronic pain. Many women continue to suffer even after surgery or medication.

“This study will help us understand whether a tailored, interdisciplinary pain management programme can offer meaningful, long-term improvements in quality of life.

“If effective, e-PMP could become a vital new treatment option, particularly for women who wish to avoid repeated surgery or hormonal therapies, or who are planning a pregnancy.”

In the study, premenopausal women will either receive the new programme alongside existing standard care, or existing standard care alone, with the results of each approach compared.

Eligible participants will be recruited to the study by their specialist, and it is open to women who continue to experience chronic pelvic pain despite previous treatment.

The 12-week programme has been designed specifically for endometriosis symptoms and includes cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) informed psychotherapy, specialist physiotherapy, guidance on relationships, intimacy, communication and self-compassion, and medication optimisation to reduce side effects.

Alongside clinical outcomes, the study will assess cost-effectiveness and may inform future NICE and ESHRE guidelines as well as NHS resource allocation.

Emma Cox, chief executive of Endometriosis UK, said: “Symptoms of endometriosis including chronic pelvic pain can have a significant impact on someone’s physical and mental health, and research is vital to helping improve management and treatment options.

“We welcome this much needed research and look forward to working with the team to see how an endometriosis specific pain management programme could support those with the disease in the future.”

Professor Anthony Gordon, director of NIHR’s Health Technology Assessment Programme, which is funding the research, added: “Many women can face years of agonising symptoms with few lasting options. High-quality research is essential to break this cycle and deliver treatment that addresses the full, complex impact of endometriosis.

“By evaluating tailored, non-surgical pain management, this NIHR-funded trial could revolutionise care, providing desperately needed support, improving daily lives, and offering long-term relief when standard treatments haven’t worked.”