Vanderbilt Clinical Trials

Auricular Acupuncture to Facilitate Outpatient Opioid Weaning

Purpose

This study is to compare two groups undergoing opioid weaning as ordered by their referring physicians. One group will undergo the standard opioid weaning process and the other group will have the addition of the NADA Protocol to the weaning process.

Condition

Narcotic Addiction

Eligibility

Eligible Ages: Over 18 Years
Eligible Genders: All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Inclusion Criteria

Adults aged 18 and older - Referral to the VUMC Interventional Pain Clinic for opioid weaning and discontinuation.

Exclusion Criteria

None

Study Design

Phase: N/A
Study Type: Interventional
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)

Arm Groups

Arm	Description	Assigned Intervention
Experimental Medication management & NADA Protocol	Standard of care medication management defined by opioid weaning protocol with specific, symptomatic medication regimens, and NADA protocol administered biweekly	Procedure: NADA Protocol NADA Protocol is a standardized acupuncture technique in which five designated points in the ear are needled. Other names: National Acupuncture Detoxification Association Protocol Other: Medication management Standard of care medication management defined by an opioid weaning protocol with specific, symptomatic medication regimens.
Active Comparator Medication management	Standard of care medication management defined by opioid weaning protocol with specific, symptomatic medication regimens.	Procedure: NADA Protocol NADA Protocol is a standardized acupuncture technique in which five designated points in the ear are needled. Other names: National Acupuncture Detoxification Association Protocol Other: Medication management Standard of care medication management defined by an opioid weaning protocol with specific, symptomatic medication regimens.

More Details

Status: Terminated
Sponsor: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Study Contact

Detailed Description

The NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) Protocol is a standardized acupuncture technique in which five designated points in the ear are needled (+/-beads/seeds at points for home acupressure therapy in between treatments). The NADA Protocol is indicated for treatment of the following conditions: detoxification, withdrawal, emotional trauma, craving, stress syndromes, relapse prevention, rehabilitation & recovery maintenance. It is also commonly used for PTSD and addiction; however it has not been studied as an adjunct to outpatient opioid weaning protocols for pain. It is cited in the literature as yielding improvements in engagement, retention, decreased cravings, anxiety, and physical symptoms. Given these documented results, it seems feasible the outpatient opioid weaning patient would likely benefit from this procedure.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.