38 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
This is a clinical study of patients who have low back pain (for at least 6 months). The goal is to understand, with brain imaging, how auriculotherapy (an acupuncture-like stimulation of the ear) may work to relieve pain. There are 4 total study visits, divided into two pairs of visits that occur before and 5-7 days after receiving either a real or sham auriculotherapy treatment. The cryo-IQ device will be used, to stimulate 7 small areas on both ears with a focused jet of cold as a small amount of compressed gas is released. This is generally not painful, and less invasive, compared to using needles for auriculotherapy.
This will be a multicenter randomized crossover clinical trial comparing the therapeutic efficacy of BioWave therapy versus TENS for the management of chronic low back pain. This study also aims to evaluate the impact of these therapies on physical activity, patient perception of therapeutic efficacy, and activities of daily living.
A non-randomized, multi-site feasibility study to evaluate the safety of the Glyder Device in subjects with a history of lumbar facet joint disease (L2 to the sacrum) and successful neural ablation in which the facet joint is confirmed as the source of pain.
This is a Pilot Study that is an open label, prospective, non-controlled study in which the safety and feasibility of Wharton's Jelly (WJ) allograft will be evaluated in 100 participants suffering with low back pain.
Double arm pivotal study to evaluate the Neurolyser XR as a non-invasive treatment of axial chronic low back pain
This study is being conducted to assess the relative effectiveness of radiofrequency neurotomy in subjects with chronic axial low back pain originating in the lumbar facet joints using the COOLIEF\* Cooled Radiofrequency Probe as compared to the same procedure conducted using a Standard Radiofrequency Probe.
The aim of this double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial is to investigate the immediate effects of spinal manipulation on hip and knee muscle strength and pain-free deep squat range of motion in order to answer several conceptual and practical research questions
Back pain is a huge problem for millions of Americans, including nearly 11 million Veterans. Our older Veterans suffer the most. Citizens spend billions of dollars, yet consistently get poor results. Primary Care Providers are often tasked with diagnosing and treating Chronic Low Back Pain, even though they are often undereducated in the field. These PCPs often use advanced imaging, usually MRIs to guide care. These images often show degenerative disc disease and other common pathologies in older adults, even those who are pain free, which can lead to misdiagnosis and treatment. The investigators believe that Chronic Low Back Pain is a syndrome, a final common pathway for the expression of multiple contributors that often lie outside the spine itself. For example, hip osteoarthritis, knee pain, and even anxiety could all lessen back pain if addressed and treated probably. Investigators will measure participants' low back pain-associated disability with the well-validated RMDQ. Data will be collected at baseline and monthly via telephone. The investigators hypothesize that veterans who receive PCCET will experience significantly greater reduction in low back pain-associated disability than those who receive IAUC at six months. Investigators will also measure participants' low back pain with the 0-10 Numeric Rating Scale for Pain. Data will be collected at baseline and monthly via telephone. The investigators hypothesize that veterans who receive PCCET will experience significantly greater reduction in low back pain than those who receive IAUC at six months. The goal of this study is to compare patients treated with usual care, which usually starts with imaging, versus patients who are treated by trained geriatricians who know how to recognize and address 11 key conditions that commonly drive pain and disability in older adults. The investigators believe that older patients who receive care tailored to their needs by educated PCPs will ultimately have less back pain and, more importantly, better quality of life.
This study is being done to determine whether cooled radiofrequency ablation (CRFA) on the medial branch nerves of the lumbar facet joint is effective for the treatment of low back pain. CRFA blocks the nerves that carry pain signals from joints in the lower back such that the brain does not receive the message that the low back is in pain. This technique is commonly performed by burning these nerves rather freezing them, but it is suspected that freezing them results in better pain relief. The CRFA blocks has been shown to effectively treat sacroiliac joint pain (a joint in the pelvis), which is another reason that it is suspected that CRFA will be effective when treating pain related to facet joints in the low back. We are performing this study in order to determine if that is the case.
To evaluate the effectiveness of steroids and/or 10% hypertonic sodium chloride in percutaneous adhesiolysis in managing chronic low back and/or lower extremity pain in patients with post lumbar surgery syndrome. To evaluate and compare the adverse event profile in all groups.
Clinically significant improvements in the percutaneous adhesiolysis patients with hypertonic neurolysis compared to those patients randomized to the control group who did not receive adhesiolysis and hypertonic saline neurolysis. Improvement will be assessed in relation to the clinical outcome measures of pain and function. Improvements among patients with adhesiolysis and hypertonic saline neurolysis and compare to control group. Compare adverse event profile in both groups
The purpose of this study is to collect lumbar rotations, velocity, and accelerations, along with pain scores using a novel dynamic VAS device, from twenty (20) Bertolotti Syndrome patients and twenty (20) non-Bertolotti low back pain patients during range-of-motion tasks. The assessments will be analyzed to determine the differences in kinematics and continuous pain scores between Bertolotti patients and non-Bertolotti low back pain patients.
1. Specific Aim: To show the safety and efficacy of prolotherapy injection for chronic sacroiliac and myofascial lumbar pain while standardizing an ultrasound guided injection technique 2. Specific Aim: To demonstrate that dextrose prolotherapy subjectively decreases lumbar back pain (LBP) associated with chronic sacroiliac (SI) and myofascial lumbar back pain/injury in patients with Hypermobile-Type Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). 3. Specific Aim: To use ultrasound (US) guidance to identify SI and myofascial lumbar back pain/injury for targeted dextrose prolotherapy treatment and to provide objective measures of decreasing inflammation via Power Doppler and ligament repair. 4. Specific Aim: To determine if US-guided dextrose prolotherapy decreases the direct costs of care for chronic LBP in contrast to conventional therapies by reducing return visits, specialty referrals, physical therapy, medications, and unnecessary procedures.
Rationale: Low back pain (LBP), or myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) of the low back, accounts for approximately 2.63 million visits in the United States, or 2.3 percent of annual Emergency Department (ED) visits. An estimated 100 billion dollars per year is lost from LBP. Approximately one-third of this is direct costs. Previous studies have established the safety of trigger point injections (TPI). However, the results of these studies are highly heterogeneous regarding TPI's ability to treat pain or improve functional outcomes. The two most promising TPI studies conducted in the ED have been published in the last two years. They both suffered from a small sample size. Additionally, they suffered from a combination of limitations including: lack of randomization, inconsistent medical management, lack of a follow-up assessment, and lack of patient centered functional outcomes. These studies were both two armed and either compared standard medical management to TPI with local anesthetic or TPI with local anesthetic to TPI with Normal Saline (NS). One of these studies concluded that TPI is generally beneficial. The other concluded that TPI with NS is superior. Research Hypothesis: The investigators hypothesize that standard therapy (ST) plus TPI with 8 mL of 0.5 percent Bupivacaine is superior to ST alone or ST plus TPI with 8 mL of NS for the treatment of the pain associated with MPS of the low back. Significance: This will be the first TPI study to compare ST, to TPI with local anesthetic, and TPI with NS for LBP conducted in an ED. It will also be the first TPI study to incorporate a patient centered functional outcome and patient follow-up after discharge from an ED. TPI's are a popular treatment modality for LBP among many Emergency Medicine Providers. However, to date, there is limited evidence for or against it. The investigators are hopeful that this study will answer whether or not trigger point injections are benefiting patients and, if so, which type of TPI is most beneficial.
Older adults with chronic low back pain (LBP) are at a greater risk for disability, loss of independence, and lower quality of life. Experts agree that LBP is not a homogeneous condition, and treatments should differ based upon clinical presentation. Our past work indicates that all of these hip and lumbar spine impairments may contribute to worse physical function and greater disability, but the relative importance of each impairment is unclear. Thus, clinicians have limited evidence to draw on for treatment decisions for this patient population. We have identified a vulnerable subgroup of older adults with hip and low back pain. The purpose of this study is to randomize participants into one of two treatment arms and analyze the outcomes.
The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) using the Medtronic Specify® 5-6-5 multicolumn surgical lead plus optimal medical management (OMM) versus OMM alone in patients suffering from predominant low back pain due to failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS).
The purpose of this study will be to determine the efficacy and the prognostic value of a continuous intrathecal prognostic infusion test in an in-hospital setting for selecting patients who would have better long term outcomes for treatment with intrathecal implantable devices. The investigators will compare the primary outcomes \[changes in pain intensity score (NRS), patient global impression of change (PGIC)\] before and after intrathecal infusion of an admixture of bupivacaine 0.625 mg/ml and fentanyl 1 mcg/ml versus normal saline. The study will include 36 patients with intractable chronic low back pain in the setting of lumbar post-laminectomy syndrome or vertebral compression fracture who failed conservative management and are considered candidates for IDDS. Prior to the implant, the patients will undergo an intrathecal prognostic infusion test with an externalized catheter. Baseline NRS pain scores will be assessed and documented on all patients upon admission to the preoperative area. An intrathecal catheter will be placed in the outpatient procedure suite at the appropriate level for target dermatomes. The needle entry point will occur in the upper lumbar spine and catheter tip will be placed in the lower thoracic spine, under local anesthesia with the patient awake and with minimal or no sedation. The intrathecal infusion will be started using an external pump once patient is in the PACU. The research component is to perform the intrathecal test with normal saline (inactive placebo solution) in addition to a test with fentanyl and bupivacaine (active solution). Patients will be randomly assigned to either Group I (continuous infusion of bupivacaine and fentanyl followed by saline) or Group II (continuous infusion of saline followed by bupivacaine and fentanyl). In PACU, patients will be started on an infusion rate of 0.5 ml/hr and titrated to pain relief greater than 50% of baseline or up to 0.8-1.0 ml/hr within 6-8 hrs after start of the infusion. A clinician blinded to the treatment arm will assess NRS and PGIC on the patients after approximately 12 hours. Assessment will include changes in pain intensity score at rest and upon ambulating or performing maneuvers that normally elicit patient's low back pain. A 4-6-hour washout period will be allotted with infusion of preservative-free normal saline at a rate of 0.2 ml/hr, after which the physician will document a return of the NRS to baseline before switching therapies.
The purpose of this study is to: * evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous epidural adhesiolysis in managing chronic low back and/or lower extremity pain in patients without post lumbar surgery syndrome or spinal stenosis and compare with fluoroscopically directed caudal epidural steroid injections. * evaluate and compare the adverse event profile in all groups.
To demonstrate clinically significant improvements or lack thereof in the caudal epidural patients with our without steroids. To evaluate differences in outcomes in patients receiving steroids compared to those patients randomized to the local anesthetic group who did not receive steroids. To assess improvements among patients and compare steroid groups with each other and local anesthetic group. To evaluate and compare the adverse event profile in all patients
Compile real-world outcomes of commercially approved Intracept™ Intraosseous Nerve Ablation Systems in the treatment of patients diagnosed with vertebrogenic pain.
The goal of this clinical trial is to pilot test a newly developed multiple component mobile-aid pain reduction intervention (MCMAPRI) and the feasibility of implementing this intervention in adult patients with myofascial pain syndrome of the low back. The main questions it aims to answer are: * What are the effects of the MCMAPRI intervention on reducing levels of myofascial pain in adult patients with myofascial pain syndrome of the low back? * What is the feasibility for implementing the MCMAPRI intervention in adult patients with myofascial pain syndrome of the low back? Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: no treatment group, MCMAPRI intervention + sham osteopathic manipulation treatment, or MCMAPRI intervention +osteopathic manipulation treatment. * Participants assigned to the no treatment group will only receive educational materials through email and a weekly phone call from the coordinator to reduce dropouts. * Participants assigned to the multiple component mobile-aid pain reduction intervention+sham osteopathic manipulation treatment group will be asked to engage in posture training through a wearable device (i.e., UPRIGHT GO), a core muscle training and stretching exercise program, stress reduction through breath focus, and in strategies to improve their level of daily activity (i.e., wearing a Garmin device). This group will receive a sham osteopathic manipulation treatment by placing hands on the patient as if osteopathic manipulation treatment is being performed. * Participants assigned to the MCMAPRI intervention+sham osteopathic manipulation treatment group will be asked to engage in posture training through a wearable device (i.e., UPRIGHT GO), a core muscle training and stretching exercise program, stress reduction through breath focus, and in strategies to improve their level of daily activity (i.e., wearing a Garmin device). This group will receive actual osteopathic manipulation treatment by putting pressure on certain muscles in the back and performing osteopathic manipulation treatment exercises on the patient. Researchers will compare the no treatment group, multiple component mobile-aid pain reduction intervention+sham osteopathic manipulation treatment group, and multiple component mobile-aid pain reduction intervention+osteopathic manipulation treatment group to see if there are decreased levels of pain, increased physical activity, better posture, and reduced levels of stress.
The purpose of this investigator-initiated study is to provide an efficient and non-invasive treatment option for pain caused by the piriformis muscle.
Veterans who have responded well to Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA), a form of auricular acupuncture, in routine clinical practice will be invited to receive education to insert the needles themselves at home. A 3D-printed wearable prosthetic will also be explored as a means to facilitate needle placement. Primary end-points will include whether adverse events occur over a six-month period and whether the aforementioned prosthesis significantly facilitates needle placement in terms of subjective ease of administration.
Pelvic pain syndromes have a high prevalence of up to 8% in the general population and up to 50% following pelvic trauma and pelvic surgery. While medical management is the initial therapeutic step, it is often ineffective with surgical decompression and resection of the putative nerves being the ultima ratio. Cryoablation can induce long-lasting nerve conduction blocks with resultant pain relief for several months. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of magnetic resonance (MR) neurography-guided cryoanalgesia for the treatment of pelvic and associated pain syndromes.
SPECIFIC AIMS Pain in both youth and adults is a complex, subjective and personal experience, and remains poorly understood. One particularly perplexing dimension of some forms of pain is the tendency of pain to spread outside of an affected body site to adjacent location, and then to unaffected body sites. Such widespread pain may reflect an altered spatial tuning of somatosensory processing, such that lateral inhibition is diminished, thereby allowing pain to spread. To date, no therapies exist which are designed specifically to diminish or even reverse the spatial spread of pain. However, training in two-point discrimination holds the potential to retune spatial aspects of somatosensory processing and may represent a novel therapy for widespread pain. Thus, the present investigation will test the following aims: Aim 1. Do youth with chronic pain have disrupted spatial tuning of somatosensory processing? Deficits in two point tactile discrimination have long been noted in adults with chronic pain, but such deficits remain poorly documented in pediatric chronic pain patients. In order to determine if such deficits exist, youth with both chronic pain and healthy youth will undergo assessment of two point discrimination thresholds. Aim 2. Does two-point discrimination training result in diminished pain and disability in youth with somatic pain? After initial characterization of tactile discrimination thresholds, youth with chronic pain will participate in multiple sessions of either two-point discrimination training or a single-point spatially-directed attentional control condition. Training will involve up to 9 additional sessions. Efficacy of training will be assessed by 1) reductions in the spatial extent of pain, 2) reductions in pain intensity and unpleasantness, and 3) reductions in pain-related disability.
Observational study of axial spine pain and hyperflexibility. Patients will receive physical exam maneuvers (traditional straight leg raise, FABER, facet loading as well as Beighton's hypermobility score) and blood / urine / saliva collection. They will also be separated into pain groups based on their response to injections. A correlation between exam findings and procedure group will be measured.
The purpose of the study is to demonstrate safety and efficacy of spinal cord stimulation with peripheral nerve field stimulation for the treatment of chronic low back and leg pain.
This study relies on the use of a smartphone application (SOMA) that the investigators developed for tracking daily mood, pain, and activity status in acute pain, chronic pain, and healthy controls over four months.The primary goal of the study is to use fluctuations in daily self-reported symptoms to identify computational predictors of acute-chronic pain transition, pain recovery, and/or chronic pain maintenance or flareups. The general study will include anyone with current acute or chronic pain, while a smaller sub-study will use a subset of patients from the chronic pain group who have been diagnosed with chronic low back pain, failed back surgery syndrome, or fibromyalgia. These sub-study participants will first take part in one in-person EEG testing session while completing simple interoception and reinforcement learning tasks and then begin daily use of the SOMA app. Electrophysiologic and behavioral data from the EEG testing session will be used to determine predictors of treatment response in the sub-study.
The purpose of this study is to perform a first in man study with VCR stimulation of the belly and back for patients with chronic pain conditions including pelvic pain, functional abdominal pain, or low back pain. This study will also examine VCR stimulation of the temporal region for patients with migraine with or without aura. Additional goals of the study will be to determine the safety, tolerability, and acceptability of VCR stimulation for the treatment of these pain conditions.
The purpose of this study is to investigate, in two phases: (1) the feasibility and safety of Virtual Embodiment Therapy in treating chronic pain of lower back and upper limbs and (2) the efficacy of Virtual Embodiment Therapy on chronic pain disorders of the lower back and upper limbs. In phase 1, we will investigate the feasibility, safety, and side effects related to this treatment by assessing simulator sickness. In phase 2, which in contingent on successful completion of phase 1, we will assess symptoms of pain specific to the region treated, fear and avoidance behavior, and depression symptoms before and after 8 sessions of treatment with Virtual Embodiment Therapy in order to assess efficacy. This study will be single-blinded, because the participation of the clinician is necessary to ensure proper administration of the therapy, as well as to monitor in the event of adverse reactions.