Decreasing the Pain of Parkinson’s Disease

In a study of 15 patients with Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord stimulation reduced both its pain and motor and nonmotor symptoms. The journal Bioelectronic Medicine reports a mean reduction in pain intensity of 59% for all patients—mean age 74; average disease duration of 17 years—whether or not they obtained relief from past treatments. Through the use of implanted percutaneous electrodes near the patients’ spines, 1 of 3 different types of stimulation were applied: continuous, on-off bursts, or continuous bursts of varying intensity. Reduction in pain intensity was achieved by all 3 groups. In addition to pain reduction, the spinal cord stimulation improved motor symptoms such as rigidity, tremor, bradykinesia.

Despite study limitations—a difference in SCS location placement due to presenting pain symptoms and incomplete TUG (Timed Up and Go) and 10 M walk test results—"We believe that the data in this study can be helpful to guide future studies that utilize SCS as salvage therapy for Parkinson’s disease to improve the body of literature on the use of SCS in PD patients.”

 

Read the journal article.

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• spinal/spine