More than 40 million Americans live with diabetes, and for many, managing blood sugar is only one part of the daily challenge.
As many as half of people with diabetes may develop diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), a form of nerve damage that can cause burning pain, numbness and tingling, most often in the feet and legs.
“For some patients, the pain can be so severe that they cannot sleep, wear shoes and socks or even tolerate a bedsheet touching their feet,” said Scott Kreiner, M.D., chief medical officer for Boston Scientific's Neuromodulation division. “Simple activities that most people take for granted can become a constant challenge.”
Today, a proven therapy for meaningful pain relief is offering DPN patients a different treatment option: spinal cord stimulation (SCS).
Understanding the different forms of diabetic neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy is not a single condition. It is a group of nerve disorders that can affect different parts of the body. The most common form is peripheral neuropathy, which typically causes pain and numbness and tingling in the feet and legs.
For many people with diabetes, peripheral neuropathy is the form that most directly interferes with daily life.
That certainly was the case for Tamara, a teacher who lived with chronic pain for a decade. During that time, she tried to maintain an upbeat attitude around her students but the pain in her legs and feet made that difficult.
“My quality of life was just gone,” Tamara said.
"Meaningful” results with spinal cord stimulation
Because DPN results from nerve damage associated with prolonged high blood sugar, clinicians often advise patients to eat healthy and exercise to manage their glucose levels. But staying active can be challenging when everyday actions, such as putting on socks or tying shoes, can cause debilitating pain. Medications may help relieve the pain, but determining an effective dose can take months, and side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, headaches and nausea are common.
Spinal cord stimulation offers another treatment option.
Long used to treat other forms of chronic pain such as chronic back pain, SCS is an approved treatment option for painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Boston Scientific's WaveWriter Alpha™ Spinal Cord Stimulator System uses an implanted pulse generator that delivers mild electrical pulses to interrupt pain signals before they reach the brain. Physicians can personalize stimulation settings to each patient's needs, helping tailor therapy to fluctuations in pain over time.
Clinical data supporting the use of Boston Scientific's SCS therapy in people living with DPN have demonstrated meaningful outcomes in clinical trials. In one study, 81% of patients reported at least a 50% reduction in pain at two years following treatment with the WaveWriter Alpha System. Other studies have shown improvements in measures associated with everyday function, including the ability to sit, stand and sleep more comfortably.
“When we trial spinal cord stimulation in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, they often describe the results as meaningful compared with other treatments they have tried,” Kreiner said. “It has been rewarding to have another option for people who have gone back to their doctors repeatedly without finding relief.”
Feeling good and baking cookies
For Tamara, treating her diabetic neuropathy with spinal cord stimulation has meant more good days. She’s even started baking cookies again, something she says she couldn’t do when her DPN was at its worst.
“I wish I would have made the decision sooner,” she said. “To have days where I can wake up and go, and feel good and be happy, has given me my life back.”
Learn more about Boston Scientific's innovative approaches to treating chronic pain at Pain.com.
Results from case studies are not necessarily predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of spinal cord stimulation and if it is an option for you.