Several studies have shown that diabetic neuropathy frequently results in poor quality of life, depression, anxiety, and impaired sleep, and the available medications can be ineffective for many people or have side effects. Hence, there is an urgent need for new, effective medicines.

In a new study, 216 people who had painful diabetic neuropathy symptoms for at least one year and were not responding to medications were enrolled. During the six months of the study, half of the participants received both spinal cord stimulation and routine medical care, whereas the participants in the control group received only routine care.

The findings of the study showed that after six months, the participants who received stimulation reported a 76% decrease in their average pain amount, while the people who did not receive stimulation reported a 2% increase in their average amount of pain. Also, in tests for motor function, sensation, and reflexes, 62% and 3% improvements were observed in the stimulation and medication-only groups, respectively.

The average amount of discomfort was found to have decreased by 80% after two years, while motor function, sensitivity, and reflexes had improved by 66% more. According to Petersen, this is within the range of cases documented for patients receiving spinal cord stimulation for different diseases.

Of those, three of them resolved, and five people, or 3%, had their devices removed owing to infection in the stimulation group. The researchers also noted that high-frequency stimulation appeared to provide greater pain relief than low-frequency stimulation. 

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/health-it/spinal-cord-stimulation-help-people-with-diabetic-neuropathy/98367474 )