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Usefulness of Shirodhara for Insomnia

Usefulness of Shirodhara (Oil Dripping Treatment in Ayurveda) for Insomnia - A Case Series

Status
Completed
Phases
Early Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00606658
Enrollment
10
Registered
2008-02-04
Start date
2008-01-31
Completion date
2008-09-30
Last updated
2012-09-20

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Insomnia

Keywords

Insomnia, Ayurveda, Shirodhara, Quality of Life

Brief summary

This pilot study will attempt to test the effects of this non-invasive procedure on a small sample of insomnia patients and also determine the feasibility of recruiting and retaining participants during the trial for such treatments in the United States.

Detailed description

A prospective case series design will be adopted. Due to the small sample size and the preliminary nature of the study, a single case study or case series are classified under Observational Descriptive Studies. The investigators will seek local Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Ten volunteers who respond to the recruitment efforts will be enrolled into the study. Successful enrollment is based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Brahmi oil (sesame oil processed with Bacopa monieri and other herbs) will be used to perform Shirodhara. Each participant will be treated for 40 minutes for five consecutive days. Outcome measures data will be collected at baseline, third day and fifth day and a week after the treatment is over. Additionally, demographic data will be collected at baseline as well. Participants will be asked to record any adverse events or side effects they observe during the study period.

Interventions

PROCEDUREShirodhara Oil Treatment

Oil dripping on the forehead in a constant stream for about 40 minutes for five consecutive days.

Sponsors

Southern California University of Health Sciences
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Age 18-75 of either sex * Duration of insomnia at least one year * Willing to sign an informed consent * A score of minimum 14 on the Insomnia severity index

Exclusion criteria

* Comorbidities such as Depression or any other psychological conditions that require medications * Currently on prescription medication for insomnia * Serious medical conditions such as uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, or any other acute condition that disturbs sleep and requires waking up in the middle of the night * Participants unwilling to comply with the protocol * Anyone who is in litigation or receiving disability, workers' compensation benefits

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Insomnia Severity IndexBaseline, end of five days and end of 14 days

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
HD-16 Quality of Life ScaleBaseline, end of 5 days and 14 days

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026