Pain Paid Clinical Trials in Massachusetts

Patients who undergo cardiothoracic surgery often experience pain and anxiety around the time of surgery. Currently, treatments for pain and anxiety around the time of surgery include opioids and benzodiazepines, which can have severe side effects and can be ineffective. Interventions combining virtual reality with olfactory stimuli are a promising alternative to opioids and benzodiazepines in the treatment of pain and anxiety around the time of surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a virtual reality and olfactory stimuli multimodal intervention in patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery. In addition, the investigators will evaluate the preliminary effects of the VR/OS intervention on patient pain and anxiety before and after cardiothoracic surgery. Patients who meet study inclusion criteria and are undergoing cardiothoracic surgery may participate in this study. Patients have an equal being assigned to undergo the virtual reality and olfactory stimuli intervention or continue getting usual medical care with their doctor. If the patient is assigned to receive the virtual reality and olfactory stimuli intervention, the first therapy session will take place approximately two to four weeks before surgery. This will involve wearing a virtual reality headset and scented necklace for approximately 10 minutes. The second session will occur 90 minutes before the surgery. Additionally, for each day the patient recovers in the hospital after surgery, the patient will receive one session in the afternoon. During the patient's in-hospital recovery at night, they will receive lavender scented therapy. Read Less

Aim 1: To determine the effectiveness of perioperatively administered ketamine to decrease acute and persistent postmastectomy pain (PPMP). Hypothesis 1.1: Patients undergoing partial or total mastectomy treated with a bolus and perioperative infusion of the NMDA-receptor antagonist ketamine will have decreased postoperative pain and opioid utilization compared to those receiving saline control. Hypothesis 1.2: Patients undergoing partial or total mastectomy treated with a bolus and perioperative infusion of the NMDA-receptor antagonist ketamine will have decreased persistent postoperative pain measured at one year after surgery. Aim 2: To determine whether there is increased power to detect therapeutic effectiveness in an interventional preventive trial, by enrichment with patients at high risk of PPMP. Hypothesis 2.1: Ketamine will have a greater analgesic and opioid sparing effect on pain scores in high-risk patients than non-high risk patients, compared to placebo. Hypothesis 2.2: Ketamine will have a greater preventive effect on pain burden scores at one year after surgery in high-risk patients than non-high risk patients, compared to placebo. Read Less

Approximately 120 subjects will be randomized into 1 of the following 2 treatment groups in a 1:1 ratio: Group 1: ZYNRELEF® up to 200 mg/ 6mg ( 7ml vial) via instillation at all incision sites in addition to 30 ml of 0.5% Ropivacaine + 10mg dexamethasone. Postoperatively, intermittent IV acetaminophen will be administered as per need till discharge. Group 2: 30 ml of 0.5% Ropivacaine and 10mg dexamethasone into all surgical sites and intermittent IV acetaminophen as per need till discharge. Primary Objective: To compare the efficacy and duration of analgesia achieved following the instillation of ZYNRELEF® all incision sites in addition to Ropivacaine with dexamethasone + postoperative IV acetaminophen, to the standard treatment of Ropivacaine with dexamethasone + postoperative IV acetaminophen in subjects undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Secondary Objectives: To evaluate additional efficacy parameters, including opioid load, in this study population. To determine the impact of ZYNRELEF® on the cost of pain management. To assess the time taken to resume exercise after discharge. To assess the adverse events reported following the use of ZYNRELEF®. Read Less

Interstitial cystitis (IC), also called Bladder Pain syndrome (BPS), or chronic pelvic pain syndrome(CPPS) is a common condition with no known cause or cure. Twin studies and family accounts have suggested that the condition may be genetic or passed down (inherited) from one generation to another. In this study, we are collecting genetic material and medical information from families in North America in an attempt to identify genetic factors that may cause IC/BPS/CPPS. We are enrolling families and individuals with IC/BPS/CPPS and their family members (both family members with and without IC like symptoms). Read Less

The investigators aim to conduct a fully powered randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of two symptom management programs for older adults with early cognitive decline (either self-reported or confirmed by testing) and chronic pain, Active Brains 1 and Active Brains 2. The investigators will assess how each program may help in improving multimodal physical, cognitive and emotional function. The investigators will also assess whether improvements in outcomes from the two programs are maintained through 6-months follow-up. The investigators will also explore whether improvements in outcomes are mediated by nonadaptive pain reactions, adaptive coping, social factors and compensatory strategies and modified by demographic and clinical predictors. Both programs will be delivered virtually (Zoom). Read Less

In this study, investigators will examine the brain mechanism behind the synergistic effects of combining acupuncture and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) treatments. Specifically, chronic low back pain (cLBP) patients will be recruited and randomized to one of four groups (30 per group, one month of treatment): 1) verum acupuncture + real tDCS, 2) sham acupuncture + real tDCS, 3) verum acupuncture + sham tDCS, and 4) sham acupuncture + sham tDCS. Investigators will study 1) the longitudinal (one-month) effects of different treatments as indicated by changes in resting state functional connectivity (rsFC), cerebral blood flow (CBF), clinical outcomes of low back pain, and quantitative sensory test (QST) and 2) the association between these changes. Read Less

This work will answer two critical questions: 1) Does intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) involving aerobic exercise help normalize pain processing in youth with chronic pain syndromes and 2) Are aerobic fitness levels and the ability to modulate pain inter-related? Currently, medications are ineffective for improving pain and disability in youth with chronic pain syndromes and identifying non-pharmacologic treatments, such as IIPT, that help strengthen the nervous system's ability to modulate or turn pain signals down will improve outcomes and quality of life for youth suffering from chronic pain. This study will help determine whether exercise based IIPT leads to physiologic improvements in how pain is processed, specifically if youth with chronic pain can better turn pain down during the offset analgesia test after an exercise based IIPT treatment, and also help elucidate the link between a child's aerobic fitness and their ability to modulate pain. Read Less

To estimate the dose of bupivacaine required to achieve initial effective comfort in 90% of patients (ED90) via the epidural (DPE or EPL) technique in women undergoing labor after receiving a lidocaine "test dose" Read Less

The goal of this study is to determine if a mind-body intervention can help people suffering from chronic back pain. The study is a randomized, partially blinded trial examining the effectiveness of a mind body intervention in reducing disability from back pain and alleviating back pain in participants as compared to usual care and an active control (second mind body intervention). The investigators will secondarily investigate whether the intervention alleviates anxiety related to the pain and other quality of life parameters. Read Less

Chronic low back pain patients aged 21 to 60 needed for a research study of the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the analgesic effects of lidocaine cream as measured by functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). Study will be conducted on nine separate days not requiring an overnight stay in the hospital. Read Less

In this study, the investigators will examine the analgesic effects of acupuncture imagery treatment in patients with chronic low back pain. The intervention used in this study is "video-guided acupuncture imagery treatment" (VGAIT) treatment. The control used in this study is sham (fake) VGAIT. Participants in each group will participate in 8 study sessions (including 6 treatment sessions) over the course of 6 weeks. The primary outcome measure for this study is change in low back pain severity score after each treatment session. Read Less

The current project will (1) enhance our understanding of the neurobiology of chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP); (2) provide a metric to follow patients with CPSP in the clinic; (3) provide a metric for those who will chronify; and (4) understand the age-related differences in CPSP. Ultimately, an improved comprehension of mechanisms linked to CPSP will provide finer tools for optimizing the selection of treatments for individual patients. Moreover, data that demonstrates the underlying pathobiological pain mechanism(s) active in CPSP, particularly those non-responsive to current therapies, may be used to validate novel strategies both pharmacological and non-pharmacological. Read Less