CHARLOTTE, NC
Surgery Pain Clinical Trials
No ordinary post surgical pain study is enrolling near Charlotte NC, and we would rather say so plainly. However, one study inside Charlotte is open for a limb that stays hot and swollen after an injury. Compensation is provided for eligible participants once one opens here.
0
For Ordinary Surgery Pain
1
For a Hot Swollen Limb
+/- $100
Per Visit
New here? Read how this page works
First, here is the honest picture. Nothing here is for everyday surgery pain, and the one open study is for a specific complication. So here is how to use this page.
- Ask what you are going home with, before the surgery. Because that conversation is far easier when you are not sore, and the number matters more than the name.
- Ask when your nerve block wears off. Notably, it fades suddenly rather than gradually, so start your tablets before it does.
- If a limb stays hot and swollen weeks later, say so. In fact, the study open here only takes people within six months of that starting.
- Finally, tap the button. Then we keep your details on file and call you when a study opens near you.
Of course, checking never signs you up for anything. You are only seeing where you might fit.
What Is Actually Open Near Charlotte
Nothing for ordinary pain after surgery. However, one is open inside the city for a related and often missed condition.
Open inside Charlotte, for a specific complication
This is not for ordinary pain after surgery. It is for a limb that stays burning, red and swollen weeks later, which is a different condition and often missed.
When One Limb Stays Hot and Swollen After Surgery
Ambros Therapeutics / Late stage drip
Sometimes after surgery or an injury a hand or foot stays burning, red, hot and swollen. The pain is far beyond the original injury, and it has a name, which is CRPS. This tests four drips over ten days, against dummy drips, in the early stage of it. However, you have to be within six months of it starting. The site is inside Charlotte.
Payment is not published.
Check eligibility →More details
Why researchers are excited: almost nothing is approved for this, and the first few months are when the odds are best. Meanwhile, most people reach a study listing years too late.
Who this study is looking for
- CRPS in one limb, on the standard clinical criteria
- Also, within six months of it starting
- Besides that, the hot kind, with swelling plus redness or a limb a degree warmer
- Finally, A bone scan showing increased uptake in that limb
Probably not a fit if: a known nerve injury rules you out. So this takes the form without nerve damage, which is the opposite of what people assume. Also, the cold kind, and having had it longer than six months.
- Placebo group: Yes. It is drips against dummy drips, and nobody involved knows which.
- How long: About eighteen weeks, with the main measure at week 12.
- Clinic visits: About 8 to 10 in person. Four are the drips on days 1, 4, 7 and 10, then checks at weeks 3, 6, 9 and 12.
- Phone calls: None published.
- Most invasive part: A bone scan at screening, plus four drips inside ten days. So the scan means an injected tracer and imaging over hours.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: Ambros clinical trial site, Charlotte NC 28211.
- Drive from Charlotte: The site is in Charlotte, though the clinic name is not published.
- Sort your dental and vitamin D questions early. An unhealed tooth extraction site excludes you, and so does low vitamin D or calcium.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
The nearest study of ordinary surgery pain
It compares two real painkiller plans after three common surgeries, with no dummy anywhere in it.
Two Real Painkiller Plans, Head to Head
University of Michigan / Comparison study
After a gallbladder removal, a hernia repair or a breast lumpectomy, what should you go home with. This compares an anti inflammatory with paracetamol against a low dose opioid with paracetamol. Both groups get real, working painkillers, so there is no dummy anywhere in it. So nobody is sent home with nothing. The site is at Chapel Hill.
Payment is not published.
Get on the list →More details
Why researchers are excited: nine hundred people is big enough to settle a question surgeons argue about every day. Meanwhile, it may be the study that finally changes what you are handed at discharge.
Who this study is looking for
- Having a gallbladder removal, hernia repair or breast lumpectomy
- Also, aged 18 or over
- Besides that, willing to be assigned one of the two plans at random
- Finally, able to report your pain afterwards
Probably not a fit if: already taking opioids regularly rules you out. So long term pain patients are not the group being studied here. Also, allergy to either drug class.
- Placebo group: None. Both groups receive real painkillers, and only the plan differs.
- How long: The days and weeks after your surgery.
- Clinic visits: Very few. It runs alongside the surgery you were already having.
- Phone calls: Follow up is largely by questionnaire rather than extra trips.
- Most invasive part: Nothing beyond the surgery you were already having. So the study adds tablets and questions rather than procedures.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill NC 27599.
- Drive from Charlotte: Chapel Hill is about 145 miles north east, so roughly two hours and twenty minutes.
- Ask which surgeries qualify. Only three are on the list, so it fits people already booked for one of those three.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
Not sure which one fits you?
First, answer a few quick health questions. Then we keep them on file. Finally, we call you when a study opens near Charlotte. No account, no paperwork.
See if I may fit one of these studies →What Is Actually Changing in Pain After Surgery
The whole field is trying to answer one question: how do you control pain without sending everyone home on opioids.
Ask What You Will Go Home With
The plan for the first week matters more than the plan for the first hour. So ask before the surgery, not at discharge. Meanwhile, that conversation is far easier to have when you are not sore and rushed. Notably, it is the single most useful question on this page.
Scheduled Beats As Needed
Paracetamol and an anti inflammatory work much better taken on the clock for the first few days. So waiting until it hurts means chasing pain rather than staying ahead of it. In fact, that timing difference is bigger than most people expect. Also, it is free advice that costs nothing to follow.
Learn the Word MME
Morphine milligram equivalents is the number that puts every opioid on one scale. So asking how many you are going home with is a fair and answerable question. Meanwhile, it is the number research uses to judge whether a plan worked. Generally, your surgeon can write it down for you.
A Nerve Block Ends Suddenly
Blocks are excellent, and then they wear off, often all at once. So ask exactly when yours is expected to fade. The trick is to start your tablets before that happens rather than after. Notably, rebound pain at hour twelve to twenty four catches people who waited.
The Score They Want Is Out of Ten
Say your worst pain in the last day was a seven, rather than saying it was bad. So the number gets recorded and acted on. Also, ask about the Brief Pain Inventory, which separates how much it hurts from how much it stops you. In fact, the second half is what predicts your recovery.
Still On Opioids at Three Months Has a Name
Filling opioid prescriptions three months after surgery is a recognised event, not a failing. So say something at week four rather than month six. Meanwhile, it is far easier to unwind early. Generally, your own doctor would rather know.
Placebo Here Rarely Means Nothing
In almost every surgery pain study you keep your normal painkillers and the study drug is added. So the dummy group is not left in pain. However, ask what the rescue plan is, because a good study will have one written down. Notably, that question also tells you how carefully the study was designed.
Know the Signs of CRPS
A limb that stays burning, swollen, red and warmer than the other one weeks later is not slow healing. So it deserves a name and a scan. Ask about the Budapest criteria and a triple phase bone scan by name. In fact, the study near Charlotte only takes people within six months of it starting.
Why Nothing Is Open in Either Metro
The newest painkiller in this field has eleven studies running in the country and none in the Carolinas. So the field is busy while this region is not. Meanwhile, two Charlotte studies exist but take people only by invitation from their own surgeon. However, one study for the burning limb condition is open inside Charlotte.
Surgery Pain Help Near You
Ask what you are going home with, and ask for the number rather than the name. Also, ask when your block wears off, and start your tablets before it does. Finally, if a limb stays hot and swollen weeks later, say so rather than waiting. Meanwhile, join the list and we will call you when a study opens here.
Research Sites Near Charlotte
Nothing runs in this metro for ordinary surgery pain, while one study for a related condition is open inside the city. But sites add new studies all the time.
Atrium Health
Multiple Charlotte locations / 161+ active studies
Crohn’s, Heart Failure, COPD, Dementia, Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension
Charlotte’s biggest health system. It is tied to Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Also, it runs far more trials than anyone else nearby.
Visit Website →
American Health Research Network
Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 25 to 30+ active studies
Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Type 2 Diabetes
Led by Dr. Selwyn Spangenthal. It is the biggest private lung research group in Charlotte. Specifically, it has 4 offices: Charlotte, Rock Hill, Lake Norman, and Charleston.
Visit Website →
Monroe Biomedical Research
Monroe, NC / 17+ active studies
Asthma, COPD, Hypertension, Obesity, Ulcerative Colitis
Notably, one of the 5 busiest research sites in the country. Its 6,300 sq ft space can host overnight stays. It is also an SCRS Global Impact Partner.
Visit Website →
Clinical Research of Gastonia
Gastonia, NC / 11+ active studies
Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Idiopathic Hypersomnia
Led by Dr. Anup Banerjee. Its 3,500 sq ft space sits next to CaroMont Regional Medical Center. Also, it has been running for over 10 years.
Visit Website →
OnSite Clinical Solutions
Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 10+ active studies
Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, COPD, Heart Failure, Atopic Dermatitis
It works with Charlotte doctors in heart, gut, skin, nerve, and joint care. Besides, it runs studies from Phase I through Phase IV.
Visit Website →
Flourish Research
Matthews, NC 28105 / 4+ active studies
Alzheimer’s Disease, Early Alzheimer’s, Alzheimer’s-Related Psychosis
Led by Dr. M. Reza Bolouri. He has 20+ years in Alzheimer’s research. The site is an Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence. In fact, its network has finished 5,500+ trials.
Visit Website →
New Hope Clinical Research
SouthPark, NC 28211 / 4+ active studies
Major Depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder
Led by Dr. Kurian Abraham. It runs Phase I through IV studies and has 30 beds for overnight stays. Its last FDA audit came back clean. Also, it has finished 200+ brain studies.
Visit Website →
Queen City Clinical Research
SouthPark, NC 28211 / 2+ active studies
Chronic Pain, Chronic Migraine, Osteoarthritis
Led by Dr. Leonardo Kapural, a former Cleveland Clinic professor. Notably, he has written 200+ journal articles. On top of that, many call this the biggest pain research site in the country.
Visit Website →
Novant Health
Multiple Charlotte locations / Several active studies
Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity, Hypertension
One of the biggest health systems in the Carolinas. Its Heart and Vascular Institute runs heart studies and sees a lot of patients.
Visit Website →
DLVSC
4 Charlotte-area offices / 1+ active studies
Eczema, Psoriasis, Rosacea
Led by Dr. Gilly Munavalli. This award-winning skin practice owns 50+ FDA-approved lasers and devices. Also, it has its own research team.
Visit Website →
DelRicht Research
South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies
Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Depression
Part of a national network of mental health research sites. Currently, it runs the azetukalner bipolar depression trial in Charlotte. Previously, it ran other mental health studies.
Visit Website →
TMS of the Carolinas
South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies
Major Depression, Treatment-Resistant Depression
A specialty site for brain stimulation care. It runs the fast TMS study that packs 6 weeks into 2.
Visit Website →What to Expect in a Surgery Pain Study
New to studies? Here is how one works, step by step.
01
Prescreening
First comes a short phone call or online form. Also, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The staff check whether you might fit. Then they tell you what is open.
02
Screening Visit
Next the clinic runs the tests that decide it, which usually means blood work. Also, they go through the consent form line by line, and you can bring somebody with you.
03
Treatment Period
Then the study begins. So you take the study drug or the placebo on the agreed schedule. Meanwhile, your own doctor keeps managing everything else.
04
Follow-Up
Finally, there is a check in period at the end. Also, your own doctor gets the results, and you can stop at any point without affecting your care.
Surgery Pain Trial FAQs
Real answers about post-surgical pain studies near Charlotte NC.
Is there a study for this near Charlotte?
Not for ordinary pain after surgery, and we will not pretend otherwise. However, one is open inside Charlotte for a limb that stays burning, red and swollen after an injury or surgery. Two further studies run at a local orthopaedic practice but take people only by invitation from their own surgeon. Notably, the nearest ordinary surgery pain study is about two hours away at Chapel Hill.
What should I ask before my surgery?
Ask what you will be going home with, and ask for the number rather than the drug name. So the useful phrase is morphine milligram equivalents, which puts every opioid on one scale. Also, ask when any nerve block will wear off, because it fades suddenly rather than gradually. Notably, both questions are far easier to ask beforehand than at discharge.
Is it better to take painkillers on a schedule?
For the first few days, generally yes. Paracetamol and an anti inflammatory work considerably better taken on the clock than taken when it hurts. So waiting until pain breaks through means chasing it rather than staying ahead. Meanwhile, that timing difference is bigger than most people expect and it costs nothing.
Do I have to take opioids after surgery?
Often less than people assume, and that is exactly what is being studied. One large study compares an anti inflammatory plus paracetamol against a low dose opioid plus paracetamol. So both groups get real, working painkillers and neither is left short. In fact, for several common surgeries the non opioid plan holds up well.
What if I am still in pain months later?
Say so at week four rather than month six. Still filling opioid prescriptions three months after surgery is a recognised event with a name, not a personal failing. So it is far easier to unwind early than late. Meanwhile, your own doctor would much rather know.
What is CRPS?
After an injury or surgery, one limb sometimes becomes intensely painful, red, hot and swollen, far beyond what the injury explains. So it is not slow healing, and it has a name and a set of criteria. Ask about the Budapest criteria and a triple phase bone scan by name. Notably, the study near Charlotte only takes people within six months of it starting.
Would I be left without pain relief in a study?
Almost never. In nearly every surgery pain study you keep your normal painkillers and the study treatment is added on top. So the dummy group is not left in pain. However, ask what the rescue plan is, because a well designed study will have one written down.
Does it cost anything to check?
No. There is no cost, and no insurance is needed. Tether is a nonprofit list, so we do not run studies and we are not paid to send you anywhere. Also, checking never enrolls anyone in anything. You would always call the clinic yourself.
Where can I get help near Charlotte?
Atrium Health and Novant Health both run surgical and pain services across the metro. Also, ask your surgeon what you will be going home with, and ask for the number rather than the drug name. Generally, a pain clinic referral is the right route if pain persists past three months. Meanwhile, if a limb stays hot and swollen, ask for that to be looked at exactly.
Ready to Explore a Study?
Check your eligibility, or just reach out to our Charlotte team. No pressure. Also, no sales pitch.
← Back to All Clinical TrialsSources
- CRPS-RISE, drips for an early hot and swollen limb, in Charlotte, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07210515
- CARES, two real painkiller plans compared, at Chapel Hill, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05722002
- A single capsule before keyhole surgery, at Greenville, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07101250
- A single dose during hip replacement, at Charleston, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07227064
- The matching knee replacement study, at Charleston, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07226076
Study details and per-site recruiting status verified against ClinicalTrials.gov on August 17, 2026. Two studies at a Charlotte orthopaedic practice were excluded because they are open by invitation only and their site rows carry no recruiting status, so patients cannot refer themselves. Eleven studies of the newest painkiller in this field were checked individually and none has a site anywhere in the Carolinas. A location search on the phrase Charlotte North Carolina returns nothing for this topic while a search on Charlotte alone returns nine, so the combined form was never used. Study availability and criteria change; the research clinic confirms everything before you enroll.