Home › Back Pain › NCT06395428

Haloperidol for Pain Control in Patients With Acute Musculoskeletal Back Pain in the Emergency Department

Who can join

Ages 18 to 65 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18 - 65 years old
* Presenting to the Bronson ED with a chief complaint of acute, non-traumatic back pain
* VAS score \>5 cm

Exclusion Criteria:

* Back pain due to traumatic injury
* Experiencing saddle anesthesia
* Has bowel or bladder dysfunction
* Has an abnormal neurological exam
* Requires imaging in ED
* Has a Glascow coma score \<15
* Has one or more abnormal vital signs:

HR\>120, SBP\>180 or \<90, temperature \>38°, O2 saturation\<92%

* Has an allergy to ketorolac or haloperidol
* Has a known diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia
* Has a known diagnosis of glaucoma.
* Is known to be pregnant or breastfeeding
* Is a prisoner or ward of the state
* Is unable to consent for themselves/ non-english speaking
* In the opinion of the attending physician or investigator the patient should not participate in the research

About the study

Single center, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial in patients who present to the emergency department (ED) with a chief complaint of back pain. A total of 150 patients age 18-65 presenting to the emergency department with chief complaint of backpain will be enrolled from April 2024 - April 2025. Patients will be randomized and symptom levels will be recorded at 30, 60, 90, minutes. Follow-up will be performed by telephone at 24 hours.

What is being tested

• Haloperidol (drug)
• Ketorolac Tromethamine (drug)

Sponsor: Western Michigan University School of Medicine · Participants: 75 · Started: Jul 9, 2024

Contact the study team

• Jessica McCoy, MD · Phone: 269-337-6600
• Katharine Mitchell, MA · Phone: 269-341-8364

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06395428

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Back Pain
• Chronic Pain

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.