Can High-Frequency Spinal Cord Stimulation Help Peripheral Diabetic Neuropathy

For individuals with diabetic neuropathy, dealing with pain is a part of daily life. If you're struggling with diabetic neuropathy that hasn't responded to conventional treatment alone, there is hope.

The board-certified interventional pain management physicians at Pain Management Specialists offer the latest advancements in pain treatment. For patients with painful diabetic neuropathy, high-frequency spinal cord stimulation can significantly improve your symptoms, reduce your pain, and improve your quality of life. 

Here's what you need to know about this breakthrough treatment for chronic pain conditions such as diabetic neuropathy:

What is diabetic neuropathy?

Neuropathy is a complication of diabetes that occurs when high blood sugar levels damage nerves that control movement, sensation, and other functions.

Symptoms of diabetic neuropathy include abnormal sensations, such as tingling, numbness, and pain in the legs and thighs. Depending on the affected nerves, diabetic neuropathy can cause pain in the chest or stomach, as well as hearing problems. In cases of severe neuropathy, you may experience damage to the skin and joints in the legs and feet.

Treatment for diabetic neuropathies consists of lifestyle changes, as well as medication to control blood sugar so that you reduce your risk of other complications. Pain medication is used to help improve pain symptoms, but many patients have persistent pain despite the use of strong pain medications, or experience significant side effects of those medications.

What is high-frequency spinal cord stimulation?

High-frequency spinal cord stimulation uses a current at 10 kHz to effectively disrupt pain. Also called HFX therapy, this revolutionary treatment blocks pain and provides significant pain relief for patients with chronic pain conditions like diabetic neuropathy.

Because it uses a patented high frequency, HFX therapy is superior to conventional spinal cord stimulation therapy and provides greater pain relief without any unwanted stimulation-related side effects like buzzing or tingling sensations. HFX is the only form of spinal cord stimulation that has been proven effective for painful diabetic neuropathy.

The largest randomized controlled trial found that HFX therapy improved pain by at least 50% in more than 85% of patients with diabetic neuropathy. 60% of patients with painful diabetic neuropathy experienced at least 80% relief of their pain with HFX therapy. 

Beyond significant pain improvement, patients receiving HFX therapy saw a 62% improvement in neurological symptoms, according to information presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Virtual Meeting, and there were objective improvements in sensory function in most patients, meaning less numbness in the feet.

If you're dealing with painful diabetic neuropathy, find out if you're a candidate for high-frequency spinal cord stimulation. The providers at Privia Medical Group Pain Management Specialists are devoted to effectively managing your pain so that you can get back to the things you enjoy. 

We offer customized treatment to help you get the relief you need. To get started, call our Rockville, or Frederick office to schedule a consultation with one of our providers. Pain relief is within reach.