Four ways Boston Scientific is advancing treatment for chronic pain

Living with chronic pain can be exhausting. Often, simple tasks become daily struggles that few people see.

Today, more than 60 million people in the United States live with chronic pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Yet despite its prevalence, chronic pain often remains misunderstood, underdiagnosed and undertreated.

"One of the most consistent lessons for me has been how often patients underestimate the toll chronic pain takes on their lives," said Scott Kreiner, M.D., chief medical officer for Boston Scientific's Neuromodulation division. "They may describe it as manageable, but over time it erodes their ability to stay active, sleep or concentrate. Those losses add up. As physicians, our responsibility is to listen carefully, set realistic goals and apply the right tools at the right time. When we do that thoughtfully, we can help patients regain control and move forward."

Boston Scientific's commitment to helping patients manage chronic pain is reflected in our growing portfolio of cutting-edge therapies and technologies for the condition.

From therapies that interrupt pain signals to procedures that treat pain at its source, here are four ways Boston Scientific is advancing solutions that help people living with chronic pain find meaningful relief and reclaim their quality of life.

1. Restoring quality of life through spinal cord stimulation

Chronic pain can have many causes, from underlying health conditions to nerve damage and injuries that fail to heal properly. That's why there is no one-size-fits-all approach to pain relief: because no two people experience pain the same way.

Fortunately, advances in pain management have led to therapies that can target pain at its source. One such therapy is spinal cord stimulation (SCS), which interrupts signals traveling through the nervous system before the brain can perceive them as pain.

SCS therapy uses an implanted pulse generator and thin insulated wires called leads that deliver mild electrical pulses to specific nerves along the spinal cord. Patients can personalize therapy to accommodate fluctuations in their pain levels, providing a tailored approach to symptom management.

The WaveWriter Alpha™ Spinal Cord Stimulator System is designed to offer multiple stimulation approaches within a single device, helping physicians customize treatment based on individual patient needs. The system features FAST™ Therapy, which can provide lasting relief for chronic low back pain sufferers within minutes of activation.

2. Addressing an often-overlooked cause of chronic low back pain

Low back pain is one of the most common forms of chronic pain, but not all back pain originates from the same source. One frequently overlooked diagnosis is vertebrogenic pain, which affects an estimated one in six people living with chronic back pain in the United States.

Vertebrogenic pain originates from damaged or inflamed vertebral endplates, the structures at the top and bottom of each vertebral body that connect with the adjacent spinal discs. When these structures become damaged or inflamed, they send pain signals through the basivertebral nerve. Because symptoms can resemble other back pain conditions, patients often spend years pursuing treatments that fail to address the underlying cause.

The Intracept ™ Intraosseous Nerve Ablation System is the only device specifically designed to treat vertebrogenic pain that is supported by multiple long-term clinical studies demonstrating its safety, effectiveness and durability. Using radiofrequency energy, physicians ablate the basivertebral nerve, interrupting the transmission of chronic pain signals. Clinical studies have shown patients can begin feeling relief within as little as two weeks, with meaningful improvements maintained years after treatment.

3. Delivering personalized relief for chronic peripheral pain

While some forms of chronic pain originate in the spine, others are caused by damaged or irritated peripheral nerves located throughout the body. These nerves can generate persistent pain signals that make everyday activities difficult, affecting mobility, sleep and overall quality of life.

With the recent acquisition of Nalu Medical and the Nalu P er iphera l Nerve Stimu lation System, Boston Scientific expanded its pain management portfolio to offer an innovative treatment option for people living with chronic peripheral nerve pain.

The Nalu Periph eral Nerve Stimulation System works by delivering mild electrical pulses to specific nerves through a very small, implanted device called a micro-IPG (implantable pulse generator), helping interrupt pain signals before they can get to the brain. The IPG is powered wirelessly by a small disc worn over the skin, and patients can control their therapy through a smartphone app.