Tiny Pain Device

None — Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is pain that persists for longer than expected for the typical illness or injury or for more than 3 to 6 months. The most common causes are low back pain, headache, neck pain and face pain. Some other causes include: fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, pelvic pain, neuropathy and phantom limb pain. Chronic pain can also occur from medical conditions like arthritis, cancer, osteoporosis and endometriosis.

According to Chronic Pain Outreach, more than 25 million Americans have severe chronic pain. Women are more likely than men to report having chronic pain. A survey by the American Pain Foundation found 42 percent of respondents with chronic pain had symptoms lasting more than a year.

Chronic pain can be disabling. It's the second leading cause of employee absence, resulting in 50 million lost days from work annually. The annual cost of chronic pain to the U.S. economy is estimated to be more than $100 billion.

Neurostimulation for Pain Control

Patients with chronic pain may be treated with medications (over-the-counter and prescription), physical therapy and, sometimes, surgery. When these treatments fail to provide adequate pain relief or cause too many side effects, doctors may explore other options.

One of those options is neurostimulation, or spinal cord stimulation. Neurostimulation devices can be implanted under the skin. When pain occurs, the patient uses a remote control device to activate the implanted pulse generator. The generator sends a signal to electrodes attached to select nerve fibers in the spinal cord. The signals diminish or block the pain signal, replacing the pain with a tingling sensation.

The Eon Mini™

Neurostimulation provides pain relief for many patients with chronic pain who can't be helped with other treatments. However, some people say the implanted devices are uncomfortable and bulky under the skin. Now there's a much smaller option, called the Eon Mini™. The Eon Mini is about the same size as a half-dollar and weighs about an ounce.

Neurostimulation doesn't work for everyone. So to reduce the need for removal, patients are first given a trial with an external device. Steven Siwek, M.D., Pain Management Specialist with The Pain Center of Arizona in Peoria, AZ, says the trial device can be placed in an office visit with minimal sedation. An electrode is inserted in the spinal space, using a process similar to having an epidural injection. Once placed, the doctor makes adjustments in stimulation based on the patient's response to pain control. Then, the electrode is taped in place. The patient goes home with a small wire sticking out of his/her back. A palm-sized device turns the stimulation on and off.

If the trial shows the treatment works, the patient is given the permanent implant during an outpatient procedure. A small incision is made into the top of the buttocks (over the hip on one side of the body). The pulse generator is placed under the skin. Electrodes are fed to various points of the spinal nerves, matching the target areas for pain control. With the Eon Mini, doctors can target eight areas along the spinal cord for pain relief. Patients return one week later for programming of the device.

Once the Eon Mini is programmed, patients can adjust the level and source of pain control (the location depends on which electrodes are activated by the controls). The device is rechargeable and a single charge lasts at least 24 hours. The battery is expected to last 10 or more years.

The Eon Mini is billed as the world's smallest and longest lasting rechargeable neurostimulator. Siwek warns it's not a cure for chronic pain. However, the device makes the pain levels more tolerable, enabling patients to get back to an active lifestyle. The Eon Mini is currently approved for treatment of chronic pain in the trunk and limbs and for patients with pain from failed back surgery.

For information about the Eon Mini™, click here.

For general information on chronic pain:

American Chronic Pain Association American Pain Foundation American Pain Society Chronic Pain Outreach National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

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