The purpose of this study is to determine if the medication lofexidine, taken together with buprenorphine or methadone, is more effective at reducing opioid craving, use and stress response than buprenorphine or methadone alone, and to see if this effect is different for men and women. Participants are randomly assigned to add either lofexidine or placebo to their buprenorphine or methadone treatment for five weeks. They return at the end of five weeks to participate in an opioid imagery task and stress task. Throughout the study, participants complete "CREMA" sessions (Cue Reactivity Ecologic Momentary Assessment) using an iPhone app three times a day. These sessions include looking at stressful and neutral pictures and rating stress and craving.

Pain control after tonsillectomy is imperative but often difficult. Current post-operative pain medication regimens include opioid analgesics and are often still inadequate. Though not standard of care, it is our practice to prescribe a single dose of oral steroid medication on the third day after surgery, when pain and swelling are at their peak, in order to assist with pain control and reduce opioid consumption. Though this practice has a rational theoretical basis, there is no prospective data supporting or discounting it. We aim to compare pain control, opioid consumption, and complication rates in children receiving post-operative steroids versus those who do not.

The primary purpose of this study is to compare extended-release buprenorphine (CAM2038) to buprenorphine placed under the tongue (sublingual) in pregnant women with opioid use disorder to see if CAM2038 is as effective as sublingual buprenorphine. We are looking to recruit pregnant women who are between 18-41 years old; are between 6-30 weeks pregnant and are not planning to terminate the pregnancy; have opioid use disorder, and are enrolled or are planning to enroll in outpatient buprenorphine treatment at The Medical University of South Carolina. Participation in the study would last between 13 and 21 months total with up to between about 63-102 total visits, including weekly medication check visits and research visits.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a new medical technology can help reduce post-operative total knee or hip pain when combined with a Cognitive-Behavioral intervention (CBI).

This new medical technology, is called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), it uses a very small amount of electricity to temporarily stimulate specific areas of the brain thought to be involved in pain reduction. The electrical current passes through the skin, scalp, hair, and skull and requires no additional medication, sedation, or needles.

This study will investigate the effects of tDCS, the Cognitive-Behavioral (CB) intervention and their combination on pain among veterans following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA). You may benefit in the form of decreased pain and opioid requirements following your knee or hip replacement surgery. However, benefit is only likely if you are randomized to one of the 3 (out of 4) groups.

This study hopes to determine the effects of these interventions and their combined effect on post-operative pain, opioid use and functioning during the 48-hour post-operative period following a total knee or hip replacement.

Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) is a condition in which infants undergo withdrawal after exposure to opioids in utero. The current standard of care uses oral morphine and/or methadone which can lead to harmful side effects in the infant. We propose a non-drug based, adjunct treatment that stimulates nerves around the ear, and may help reduce withdrawal symptoms while using less morphine.

This study will consist of patients 12 years and older undergoing ACL reconstruction using a quadriceps or bone-patella tendon bone (BTB) graft. The patients will be randomized to adductor canal block alone, or adductor canal block + iPACK block. The primary goal will be to determine the differences in postoperative pain during the first 72 hours when comparing the two groups. Secondary outcomes will include opioid utilization during the first 72 hours postoperatively and range of motion including terminal knee extension at postoperative follow-up visits.

This study aims to investigate innovative approaches to managing chronic pain and opioid use. This study consists of two phases, each offering different treatment options. Participation is voluntary.

This study will sequentially evaluate three novel and scalable interventions for at-risk individuals on long term opioid therapy for chronic pain: (1) low-dose transdermal buprenorphine initiation without a period of opioid withdrawal; (2) a brief Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for pain (CBI); and (3) transcranial magnetic stimulation by examining standardized repeated measures of clinical outcomes at baseline, during treatment, and at follow-up.

Phase 1:
In this initial phase, all participants will have a 1-week open-label trial of buprenorphine (worn as a patch on the arm, shoulder or upper-back). This trial aims to assess the safety and effectiveness of buprenorphine in managing chronic pain and opioid use. During this phase, participants will have the opportunity to experience the effects of buprenorphine under close monitoring.

Phase 2:
After completing Phase 1, participants will have the opportunity to choose their next course of treatment. They can decide to continue with buprenorphine, and undergo a 1-week trial of either real buprenorphine or a placebo (an inactive substance). They will be randomly assigned to receive either real or placebo buprenorphine. If participants respond well to buprenorphine treatment, they may continue the medication under the care of their physician.

Alternatively, participants can explore an alternative treatment called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in Phase 2. If they opt for rTMS, they will receive either real rTMS or a sham version interspersed with cognitive-behavioral therapy for pain. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either real or sham rTMS.

In both phases, participants will receive close monitoring and attend regular study visits to assess safety and progress. Throughout the study, they will be asked to complete questionnaires about pain, functioning and opioid use, undergo physiological monitoring and blood samples will be collected at specific points.

It's important to note that there are potential risks associated with the study medication, such as difficulty sleeping, nausea, and dizziness. Additionally, for the rTMS arm, there is risk of mild headache, pain at the stimulation site, and there may be unknown risks related to the brain stimulation.

Participants' experience in Phase 1 will involve an open-label trial of buprenorphine, and participants' decisions in Phase 2 will determine the treatment path. While the effectiveness of these treatments is uncertain, participants will receive thorough monitoring throughout the study, and have the option to withdraw at any time. Improvement in participant symptoms is possible but not guaranteed.