Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for moderate to
severe diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) pain
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) pain is a debilitating and progressive neurological disorder that significantly impacts quality of life and functional ability for patients with diabetes. Patients may be treated with medications, but they are often only partially effective and can result in serious side effects.1
Take the two-minute self-assessment.
SCS is a proven therapy for relief of many types of chronic pain. Complete this quick and easy assessment to help determine if SCS might be a solution for you.
Learn how a spinal cord stimulator may help treat chronic diabetic nerve pain.
See how SCS helped Farrah relieve her pain and enable her to return to everyday living.
Potential benefits of SCS therapy
17x
more likely to experience significant pain relief2-4
Patients suffering from DPN pain are 17 times more likely to experience significant pain relief if treated with SCS compared to conventional treatment.2-4
86%
of patients experienced treatment success after receiving SCS therapy for 1 year*5
86% of patients experienced treatment success after receiving SCS therapy for 1 year.*5
10yrs
of meaningful
pain relief*6
Proven long-term therapy for managing chronic pain with the majority of patients experiencing meaningful pain relief through 10 years of treatment with SCS.6
Understand the risks.
Not everyone responds to SCS in the same way, and your experience may vary. Risks include infection, lead movement, pain at the implant site, and loss of therapy effectiveness. Please discuss in detail with your doctor. Patients with diabetes may have an increased risk for surgical complications. Talk to your doctor about your ability to undergo surgery.
Depending on the state in which you live, traditional Medicare many not cover SCS for DPN. For other insurers, please check with them on coverage specific to your health plan.
A trial of SCS therapy can help you decide.
With Medtronic, you can “test drive” SCS therapy and experience how it may improve your daily activities without requiring you to have a device implanted. Get information about trials, procedures, and benefits and risks.
Get answers to common questions about SCS.
FAQ for prospective patients
Patient
Resources
Contact a Medtronic rep, find a doctor, speak to a nurse or ambassador, or access other helpful resources.
Connect with a Medtronic therapy expert
Connect with a Medtronic therapy expert to learn more about how SCS can help with your moderate to severe DPN pain.
Learn more
about SCS.
Visit the SCS website for more information.
Self-assessment
- Have you previously been diagnosed with diabetes?
- Have you experienced neuropathic pain for more than one year?
- In the past 7 days, how would you rate your pain on average?
- Have any of the following treatments been unsuccessful at managing your DPN pain?
- Does your pain limit you from doing any of the below activities?
If you answered “yes” to the majority of these questions, and your pain is a 5 or greater, SCS might be a solution to your DPN pain. Talk with a Medtronic therapy expert to learn more.
*
Success rates in a population of patients treated with SCS in two studies and followed for up to 10 years.
1
Sloan G, Alam, U, Selva rajah D, Tesfaye S. The Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy. Current Diabetes Reviews. July 2021.
2
Medtronic Pain Therapy Clinical Summary M221494A016 Rev B. United States; 2022.
3
de Vos CC, Meier K, Zaalberg PB, et al. Spinal cord stimulation in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy: A multicenter randomized clinical trial. Pain. 2014;155(11):2426–2431. doi:10.1016/j.pain.2014.08.031.
4
Slangen R, Schaper NC, Faber CG, et al. Spinal cord stimulation and pain relief in painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy: A prospective two-center randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Care. 2014;37(11):3016–3024. doi:10.2337/dc14-0684.
5
van Beek M, Geurts JW, Slangen R, et al. Severity of neuropathy is associated with long-term spinal cord stimulation outcome in painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy: Five-year follow-up of a prospective two-center clinical trial. Diabetes Care. 2018;41(1):32–38. doi:10.2337/dc17-0983.
6
Zuidema, X et al. Long-term evaluation of spinal cord stimulation in patients with painful diabetic polyneuropathy: An eight-to-ten year prospective cohort study. Neuromodulation. 2022 Dec 30:S1094-7159(22)01403-9.