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Do you or a loved one suffer from back and leg pain? If so, and multiple treatments have been tried and failed, then read on about treatment with Neuromodulation.
If you haven’t heard of the term Neuromodulation, it is considered any form of therapy that blocks or prevents neuronal pathway signals from being activated and leading to the sensation of pain. Literally most forms of pain management involve some form of Neuromodulation.
In the language of an interventional pain management physician, it focuses mainly on technological interventions that are applied from an external device to modulate the pain pathway. Currently in the field of Neuromodulation, there are several breakthroughs that have come to advance the field to ensure optimal care and treatment for pain patients.
In May 2015, the FDA approved a new treatment for chronic back pain and leg pain called HF10 therapy. This form of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy is a game-changer for pain sufferers. It is the only SCS system to ever receive a superiority designation from the FDA for both chronic back pain and leg pain.
HF10 therapy is also one of the first SCS systems to deliver significant pain relief without any uncomfortable tingling or buzzing, known as paresthesia.
To put this new therapy to the test, the maker of HF10 therapy carried out the first-ever randomized, controlled clinical trial to compare the relative effectiveness of two SCS systems. The study followed 171 patients using HF10 therapy or traditional SCS for 12 months to measure how many patients responded to treatment and their levels of pain relief.
Results from the clinical study showed that nearly twice as many patients achieved dramatic relief from back pain and leg pain with HF10 therapy as with traditional SCS.
The study also demonstrated that eight out of ten patients with severe back pain or leg pain who usedHF10 therapy experienced significant pain relief. The fact that HF10 therapy provided significant relief from back pain, as well as leg pain, is considered an important result because back pain has historically been challenging to treat with spinal cord stimulation.
Even the FDA, in an unusual move, judged the results from the study strong enough to support its superiority when they approved HF10 therapy.
HF0 therapy stands for high-frequency stimulation delivered at 10 kilohertz, which is much higher than other approved stimulation technologies.
In a clinical study that allowed patients to try both HF10 therapy and traditional SCS, results showed that 9 out of 10 patients preferred HF10 therapy.
Here are just a few of the reasons patients prefer HF10:
- Traditional, or low-frequency, SCS therapy attempts to mask pain by covering the pain area with stimulation-induced paresthesia. Patients describe the sensation as tingling, prickling, pins-and-needles or vibrating. Many consider it to be an unpleasant side effect of traditional SCS because it feels uncomfortable and is a constant reminder of the pain.HF10 therapy is the first and only SCS system approved by the FDA that does not rely on paresthesia to provide pain relief.
- Unlike traditional SCS, HF10 therapy won’t give you an unexpected shock when you bend or twist, or engage in other daily activities. As a result, HF10 therapy can stay on while you drive or sleep.
- HF10 therapy gives you the opportunity to trial a temporary system before youdecide if the permanent implant is right for you. The trial system delivers the same therapy as the implanted device. The trial period gives you enough time to assess its effectiveness in managing your pain.
- The implant procedure for both the HF10 therapy trial and the permanent device is fairly quick and minimally invasive, so it may not require a hospital stay. If necessary, the system can be removed by your doctor.
- During traditional SCS procedures, the patient must be awakened from a sedated state during the procedure to help the physician locate the most beneficial position for the electrodes. HF10 therapy does not require this step. You do not have to be awakened during the procedure, so it’s less disruptive to you and allows the procedure to be more predictable for the physician.
In summary, if you or a loved one is suffering from back & leg pain and have found no relief with other treatment methods, consult a qualified pain physician to find out if HF10 therapy is the solution for you.
About the Author
Rick Nieves-Ramos M.D. is double board-certified with a sub-specialty certification in Pain Medicine and specialty certification in Anesthesiology by the American Board of Medical Specialties. He has worked with world-renowned experts in lower back pain therapy, and technique innovators at the University of Miami, and has completed an ACGME accredited fellowship in Pain Medicine at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he served as an attending Anesthesiologist.
Dr. Ramos also participates in new product development for Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) devices.
Dr. Ramos is a native of Orlando, Florida, and currently practices at Florida Pain Relief Centers’ Altamonte Springs and Downtown Orlando locations, where our expert pain physicians are setting new standards in pain management and restoring a greater quality of life for patients with chronic pain.
Can HF 10 Relieve Your Pain?
Central Florida Pain Relief Centers’ board-certified physicians are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and take a comprehensive, multimodal approach to treating your chronic pain.
Whether the solution for your pain is HF10 or another minimally invasive treatment option, our pain specialists maintain a focus on providing comprehensive, personalized care for each patient to determine the best treatment option for your individual pain condition.
At CFPRC, our top priorities are relieving your pain and ensuring your comfort. If you are tired of living with chronic pain and want more information about options for minimizing or eliminating your suffering, contact Central Florida Pain Relief Centers today at 407-478-1510 or visit www.yourpainreliefcenters.com to set up a consultation online.