SPRINT PNS for low back pain and shoulder pain
Low Back Pain & Shoulder Pain
Hano was in her late 40s when she finally received the diagnosis that would explain what was causing her so much pain: Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy, which is a form of muscular dystrophy that begins in adulthood and results in progressive muscle pain and weakness.
“It’s when your muscles never stop contracting … so, imagine you’re running a marathon 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of your life,” explains Hano. “Eventually your muscles start to waste … You start losing feeling, you start losing strength.” Hano was always an active person and says she didn’t experience symptoms until she was almost 40.
Back and Shoulder Injuries
It began with a back injury, which led to years of unsuccessful treatments for her pain, including medications, injections, epidurals, radio frequency ablations, and more. Then she tore a rotator cuff in her left shoulder at work, which required surgery. As she relied more on her other shoulder after surgery, she injured that one, too.
“It got to the point where I couldn’t lift more than five pounds. If I went grocery shopping, the lifting and moving would put me out for two days,” recalls Hano. Her pain and numbness got so bad that in 2016, she was medically retired from the law enforcement career she loved.
Finally, a diagnosis
After seeing dozens of specialists over the years, she saw a doctor who suggested genetic testing, which finally led to her diagnosis. “Myotonic muscular dystrophy is usually predominant in Nordic countries and parts of Eastern Europe, and as someone who’s perceived as a Pacific Islander, I didn’t fit the demographic. That’s why doctors never suspected I had it,” says Hano.
By then, Hano was bedridden, using a walker, and had difficulty grooming herself. She became depressed and began to isolate, but something in her kept trying to find relief. That’s when she began to see Dr. Bilal Lateef, a pain specialist at Alamance Regional Medical Center. Because Hano had tried everything else already, he continued to prescribe pain medications and added aqua therapy, but both brought only limited help.
Discovering SPRINT and rediscovering life
One day, Hano ran across SPRINT PNS on the internet and shared it with Dr. Lateef. He told her he was intrigued and would research it. Months later, Dr. Lateef informed her that he had the SPRINT PNS system and was eager to see how Hano’s pain would respond.
She began her 60-day SPRINT PNS treatment and says the relief was so immediate she was able to drive herself home. A few weeks later, she got on a plane for a vacation with friends. Says Hano, “I took my walker with me, but I never even used it.”
Recently, she also had the SPRINT system implanted to help her right shoulder pain. Hano says she can now sleep well and is grateful to have her life back. “I feel really good. I can go grocery shopping. I can move around. I can even swim again, which for me, growing up on an island, is a huge deal.”
Before SPRINT, she rated her pain as an 8.5 out of 10 on her really bad days. Today, she says she’s usually at a 0.5 or a 1, and says her pain, if she has any, doesn’t linger. She even attended a concert recently and was able to get up and dance. “I had a big smile on my face; I couldn’t believe I was doing that! I could move my hips without having to pay for it for days afterward, all thanks to SPRINT.”
The SPRINT PNS System is indicated for up to 60 days for: (i) Symptomatic relief of chronic, intractable pain, post-surgical and post-traumatic acute pain; (ii) Symptomatic relief of post-traumatic pain; and (iii) Symptomatic relief of post-operative pain. The SPRINT PNS System is not intended to be placed in the region innervated by the cranial and facial nerves.
Each patient’s testimonial is the result of each patient’s unique situation resulting in varying responses, experiences, risks, and outcomes to the SPRINT PNS System. The patient experiences shared on this page are not medical advice and should not be substituted for the independent medical judgment of a trained healthcare professional. Discuss your options and use of the SPRINT PNS System with your medical provider. Physicians should use their best judgment when deciding when to use the SPRINT PNS System. For more information see the SPRINT PNS System IFU.
Most common side effects are skin irritation and erythema. Results may vary. Rx only.
