High-frequency spinal cord stimulation is more effective than low-frequency one

Meanwhile, only 56% of the participants with leg pain and 44% of those with back pain undergoing low frequency SCS treatment reported the same progress. SCS delivers electric pulses to the spinal cord through a small device implanted under the skin, giving the patient a form of paresthesia – a buzzing or tingling sensation. After the long-term study done on high-frequency SCS, a great way to treat both leg and back pain has been discovered when compared to the more traditional low-frequency SCS. At high frequencies, administered by a system called HF10, 10,000 Hz pulse through the device and into the nerve cells.

Researchers have studied many methods to alleviate chronic pain, including opioids, surgery, and spinal cord stimulation therapy (SCS).

Patients with chronic back and leg pain may be able to forgo the use of prescription painkillers thanks to a new treatment that has been shown to provide long-lasting analgesia. The conclusive findings were documented in Anesthesiology. To determine the efficiency of the treatment, the patient should at least experience a 50% reduction of the pain for him or she to be a satisfactory respondent patient. After 3 months, 85 percent of back pain patients and 83 percent of leg pain patients in the HF10 group saw a 50 percent or greater reduction in pain and none experienced paresthesia. The conclusion has been reached after scientists observed the medical condition and evolution of their patients suffering from back and leg pains.

Experts found that those treated by the traditional way, 43.8% responded positively to back pain, and 55.5% for leg pain. Identifying a new intervention that does not rely on paresthesia to mask pain is novel to SCS and has the potential to improve pain relief and quality of life for these complex patients. 90 of the patients got HF10 while the remaining 81 stuck to their existing, low-frequency SCS implant. Since approximately 23 – 26% of the global population suffers from lower back pain alone, the new therapy may be a worthy treatment.

“Given the prevalence of chronic pain, high frequency SCS is an exciting advance for our patients”, said Dr. Leonardo Kapural, professor of anesthesiology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.