Spinal Cord Stimulation at Southwest Spine & Pain Signals Major Advancement for Patients with Diabetic Neuropathy

By Alexa Morgan

One common goal links every patient who steps into a doctor’s office seeking treatment for chronic pain: all they want is relief. The practice of interventional pain management isn’t simply about reducing pain but also giving people back a life that’s no longer defined by pain.

The last decade has witnessed compelling breakthroughs in the treatment of chronic pain. Spinal cord stimulation, a minimally invasive surgical procedure, represents a new hope for diabetics with painful neuropathy as well as patients suffering from chronic back pain that doesn’t respond to conservative care.

All of the pain management physicians at Southwest Spine & Pain Center, a division of Vista Healthcare, are well-versed in the use of spinal cord stimulation. The technology has been available to doctors for over thirty years and is a proven therapy. However, this is the first time the FDA has granted any new indications.

“We are excited to offer this new therapy to patients suffering from painful diabetic neuropathy,” said Dr. Rick Obray, founding partner of Southwest Spine & Pain. “It has the potential to make a significant difference in many patients’ lives by reducing pain associated with this condition.”

Neuropathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes, yet few therapies are available to effectively treat the symptoms. Unless they’ve consulted with a spine specialist for another issue, most diabetics may not have heard of spinal cord stimulation.

Spinal cord stimulation utilizes an implanted device that sends low levels of electricity directly into the spinal cord to relieve pain. Doctors place electrodes between the spinal cord and the vertebrae that connect to a small pacemaker-like battery pack inserted under the skin.

Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by chronically high blood sugar as a result of diabetes. Usually affecting the legs, feet, and hands, it leads to numbness, loss of sensation, and pain. Some patients experience mild symptoms, but the condition can be debilitating for others.

Southwest Spine & Pain uses a high-frequency (ten kilohertz) spinal cord stimulator to modulate the way patients experience pain. In addition to reducing pain signals, data from clinical trials shows that the procedure can also improve sensation and neurologic function.

Neuropathy negatively impacts overall quality of life. Along with experiencing persistent pain, many patients avoid exercise because they can’t feel their feet and risk falling on uneven surfaces. However, diabetes is more easily controlled in patients who are physically active, resulting in healthier heart, kidney, and eye function.

Spinal cord stimulation is changing the way doctors treat diabetic patients with neuropathy, Obray said, adding that it might actually alter the course of the disease.

Earlier this month, the FDA also approved spinal cord stimulation for use in patients with nonsurgical refractory back pain. Previously available only to patients with persistent pain and nerve damage following surgery, Obray explained that the new indication represents a major advancement in pain management.

Patients who aren’t candidates for back surgery or don’t want to undergo surgery will now be able to experience lasting relief. Southwest Spine & Pain is currently accepting patients and scheduling appointments at the state-of-the-art Vista Medical Center, located at 2891 E. Mall Drive in St. George, Utah.

For more information or to make an appointment, call today at 435-656-2424 or visit their website at swsp.com. (Contributed content, originally published in St. George News)

About the Author

Alexa Morgan works as a reporter for St. George News/ STGnews.com and has more than a decade of experience in news and magazine writing. She is committed to keeping the community informed with journalism of the highest quality standard. Originally from Southern California, she now proudly makes her home beneath the big red mountain in Ivins.

Alexa Morgan