Spinal Cord Stimulation: Effective Relief for Diabetic Nerve Pain

Living with diabetes might be a pain in the neck, but diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) adds actual nerve pain to the lower limbs. Medication doesn’t always help, and finding effective pain-relief solutions is essential. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) offers an advanced approach to chronic pain management, blocking pain signals before they reach your brain and providing lasting relief.

In this article, you’ll learn about

• The definition of DPN.
• What causes DPN?
• Treatment options for DPN, including medications.
• How spinal cord stimulation (SCS) helps with DPN pain.
• Common myths about SCS.
• Medtronic’s FDA-approved solutions for DPN pain.

Understanding diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and its symptoms

• Millions of people with diabetes deal with DPN.
• In addition to causing pain, tingling and numbness, DPN pain can make walking, sleeping and daily tasks hard.
• Medicines help DPN symptoms in some people, but not everyone gets relief.
• SCS is a proven treatment for DPN pain. 
  • For many years, SCS has helped people with chronic pain.
  • SCS works by blocking pain signals before they reach your brain. 
  • Now, SCS is showing promise for DPN pain too.

What causes DPN?

• DPN is caused by high blood sugar over time. 
• Other factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking can make DPN worse. 
• Keeping your blood sugar in range can help slow or prevent nerve damage.

Treatment options for DPN pain

Managing blood sugar helps protect nerves, but effective pain relief sometimes requires a broader approach. Always consult your doctor before exploring new treatment options for DPN.

Medications

• Prescription and over-the-counter medications can help relieve burning or shooting pain. Medications for DPN pain include:
  • Gabapentin (Neurontin)
  • Pregabalin (Lyrica)
  • Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
  • Tapentadol (Nucynta ER)

Physical therapy

• In addition to exercise and healthy eating, stretching improves balance and reduces stiffness. 
• Movement boosts circulation; a balanced diet supports nerve health. 

Massage & relaxation

• Warm baths and stress relief help calm irritated nerves.

Spinal cord stimulation for DPN pain relief: How it works

If medications or other therapies haven’t brought enough relief, SCS may be the next step.

Here’s how it works:

• SCS blocks pain signals before they reach your brain.
• A small device is implanted under the skin in the lower back.
• It is connected to leads placed in the epidural space near the spinal cord.
• This is usually done during a short outpatient procedure.
• The device sends gentle electrical pulses to your nerves to help “quiet” pain signals.
• Before implantation, patients can try a temporary system for 3–10 days to see how well it works for them.
• Many people report feeling tingling or relief instead of pain.

Common myths about spinal cord stimulation 

SCS is a trusted treatment for chronic pain, yet misconceptions remain. Here’s the truth:

• “It’s experimental.” — Not true. SCS has over 50 years of proven success in managing pain. 
• “It’s only for extreme cases.” — Nope. SCS helps with various pain levels, not just severe cases.

Understanding the facts about SCS helps patients make informed decisions about pain relief.

Medtronic’s FDA-approved neurostimulators for DPN pain

Medtronic offers three FDA-approved neurostimulators designed for diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain relief. The following devices provide long-term pain relief and are clinically proven to be effective:

• Inceptiv™ rechargeable neurostimulator
  • Automatically adjusts stimulation in real time using closed-loop technology.
  • Helps maintain consistent pain therapy without manual adjustments.

• Intellis™ rechargeable neurostimulator
  • Compact device that provides customized pain management tailored to individual needs.
  • Offers flexible settings so patients can personalize their relief.

• Vanta™ recharge-free neurostimulator
  • Provides long-lasting relief without needing to recharge.
  • Ideal for those who prefer a low-maintenance option.

These neurostimulators can help patients move more freely and regain control over daily activities. 

Please discuss the risks and benefits of this therapy with your doctor. Like any surgery, this therapy has risks, including possible device issues or unexpected effects.

For details on safety, MRI compatibility and battery life, check the Important Safety Information.

SCS proven to relieve pain in patients with DPN

A Medtronic analysis of two randomized controlled trials confirms that SCS significantly reduces pain for patients with painful DPN.

• 61% of SCS patients experienced at least 50% pain relief at six months.
• Only 6% of patients receiving standard medical management (the control group) saw the same level of improvement.
• Findings show SCS outperforms standard medical management for DPN pain.

This research underscores the effectiveness of SCS as a long-term pain relief solution for DPN.

Long-term pain relief with SCS for DPN

Another study tracked 19 patients with DPN for 8–10 years after SCS.

• The majority (58%) of patients experience clinically meaningful pain relief up to 10 years of treatment with SCS.
• 66% of people still benefit from SCS up to 10 years post-implant.
• Findings support SCS as an effective long-term treatment for DPN.

Learn more about spinal cord stimulation 

SCS is a proven treatment for chronic pain. If you’re considering SCS, here’s how to explore your options:

• Discover Medtronic’s device options. 
• Learn how SCS can help manage pain.
• Talk to your doctor about whether SCS is right for you and what steps to take next.
• Explore the latest treatment options and clinical insights at dpnrelief.com. 

SCS for DPN: A quick recap

• DPN causes pain, tingling and numbness in the lower extremities.
• Medications help some, but many need more relief.
• SCS is FDA-approved and blocks pain signals before they reach the brain.
• Medtronic offers three neurostimulators:
  • Inceptiv™: Adjusts stimulation in real time.
  • Intellis™: Compact and customizable.
  • Vanta™: Recharge-free, long-lasting relief.
• Research confirms SCS works long-term.
• Talk to your doctor to see if SCS is right for you.
• Learn more at dpnrelief.com. 

This content was made possible by Medtronic Neuro, an active partner of Beyond Type 1. Beyond Type 1 maintains editorial control over its content.

INDICATIONS: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is indicated as an aid in the management of chronic, intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs-including unilateral or bilateral pain.

CONTRAINDICATIONS: Diathermy – Energy from diathermy can be transferred through the implanted system and cause tissue damage, resulting in severe injury or death.

WARNINGS Sources of electromagnetic interference (e.g., defibrillation, electrocautery, MRI, RF ablation, and therapeutic ultrasound) can interact with the system, resulting in unexpected
changes in stimulation, serious patient injury or death. An implanted cardiac device (e.g., pacemaker, defibrillator) may damage a neurostimulator, and electrical pulses from the neurostimulator may cause an inappropriate response from the cardiac device. Patients with diabetes may have more frequent and severe complications with surgery. A preoperative assessment is advised for some patients with diabetes to confirm they are appropriate candidates for surgery.

PRECAUTIONS: Safety and effectiveness have not been established for pediatric use, pregnancy, unborn fetus, or delivery. Avoid activities that put stress on the implanted neurostimulation system components. Recharging a rechargeable neurostimulator may result in skin irritation or redness near the implant site.

ADVERSE EVENTS: May include undesirable change in stimulation (uncomfortable, jolting or shocking); hematoma, epidural hemorrhage, paralysis, seroma, infection, erosion, device malfunction or migration, pain at implant site, loss of pain relief, and other surgical risks. Adverse events may result in fluctuations in blood glucose in patients with diabetes. Refer to www.medtronic.com for product manuals for complete indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions and potential adverse events. Rx only.