Electric Current For Neuropathy Pain

Today's post from type2nation.com (see link below) talks about the Sensus, which is a new device designed to deliver electrical stimulus for neuropathy patients. It's by no means the first in this area and there have been ideas using an electrical stimulus to control nerve pain, for years but this one certainly seems promising. Worth reading to see whether it may be something useful for you. Discuss it with your doctor or specialist because it may not be available in your area. That said, nothing in the neuropathy world carries guarantees and as always, what works for some may not work for others but the scientific premise behind the device seems sound.

Electrical Current May Ease Neuropathy Pain
Published on October 15th, 2013 | by Chris Leach

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a fact of life for millions of people with diabetes. The condition is characterized by a number of symptoms, including numbness, insensitivity, tingling, burning and prickly sensations, sharp pain and cramps in hands and feet, and loss of balance and coordination. Perversely, peripheral neuropathy also can include extreme sensitivity to touch, making it so even stepping barefooted on a pebble can cause shooting pain up the legs. Until recently there have been few treatment options, as the condition is not even very well understood. But now researchers are using electrical stimulation to relieve the pain the condition can cause. If such a treatment method proves successful, it might offer welcome relief and better health outcomes for people with diabetes.

One of the first devices to hit the market is Sensus, by NeuroMetrix. Available by prescription, it relies on external electrical stimulation of nerves and nerve pathways to lessen and control DPN pain in the feet and legs. The device is designed to wrap around the calf under your clothes, and is secured by a Velcro band that adjusts to fit almost any body size. The Sensus “brain” is controlled by a single push button and uses an array of electrodes that snap into place on the skin side of the device to send current into your leg. Sensus stimulates or “excites” the nerves that carry normal, non-painful sensations to the brain.

A growing number of insurers, including Medicare, reimburse for this Class II medical device, which was cleared by the FDA late in 2012 and began shipments to distributors about 6 months ago. It is the only device of its kind cleared for overnight use by patients.

Researchers are rooting for such devices to provide relief for people with diabetes, as neuropathy can curtail exercise routines and disrupt sleep patterns, two side effects which can create a downward health spiral for people with diabetes. The economic consequences of neuropathies in the U.S. run into the billions each year, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.

About the Author
 
Chris Leach Chris Leach was the founding editor of numerous diabetes publications, including Insulin Nation, Type 2 Nation, and Health Matters. A lifelong entrepreneur, he also founded New Jersey Monthly and was part of the team that created ESPN, the Magazine. Chris passed away in 2013.

http://www.type2nation.com/treatment/electrical-current-may-ease-neuropathy-pain/