Advanced Treatment Option for Chronic Leg Pain

Chronic leg pain can stem from an accident, injury, underlying condition, or other causes. Whatever the source, chronic leg pain can get in the way of life and cause you to miss out on the things you enjoy.

There are many pain management treatment options available for leg pain, including physical therapy, medications, injections, and surgery, but not everyone finds lasting pain relief with these. If you’ve been suffering from chronic leg pain and nothing else has worked, a Nevro HFX spinal cord stimulator could help relieve your leg pain and improve your quality of life.

What type of leg pain does Nevro HFX relieve?

HFX works best to relieve nerve-related leg pain rather than mechanical leg pain. Mechanical and nerve pain are the two main types of chronic pain. While a complete evaluation with a pain management doctor is the best way to understand what kind of pain you’re experiencing, here are some ways to tell the difference.

Mechanical pain occurs when bones, ligaments, tendons, or muscles are damaged or strained from overuse or an injury. This type of pain can also be caused by bad habits, such as poor posture and incorrect bending and lifting motions. It often feels tender, throbbing, or stiff.

Mechanical pain usually increases, or decreases based on the position you’re in or whether you put weight on the area. For example, if your knee hurts when you walk but feels better when you sit down, that’s most likely mechanical pain. Relief for mechanical pain is best accomplished by treating the source.

Nerve pain occurs when nerves are damaged by disease, trauma, or even medications. People with nerve pain can experience ongoing burning or shooting pains—even when there isn’t an injury or any obvious source of pain. Nerve pain is also associated with sensations like tingling and numbness. HFX is most effective for this type of chronic pain.

Learn more about the different chronic pain types.

What is Nevro HFX and how does it work?

Now that we’ve established what type of leg pain HFX can relieve, let’s get into what HFX is and how it works.

HFX is a small, FDA-approved device placed in a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure that safely works inside your body to significantly reduce your pain and restore your quality of life.

Here’s a video that explains how HFX works:

The nerve pain you’re experiencing in your legs is caused by damaged nerves that are sending abnormal pain signals to your brain. HFX works by blocking those pain signals, therefore reducing your leg pain.

By relieving the chronic leg pain that’s getting in the way of your daily life, HFX helps increase your ability to do normal activities at home and at work. Many people can also reduce or stop taking pain medications after finding that HFX manages or eliminates their pain.

What clinical evidence is there that Nevro HFX relieves chronic leg pain?

In 2015, the largest clinical study ever done on spinal cord stimulation found that HFX relieved chronic leg pain for nearly 80% of people.¹ It’s important to note that there’s more than one spinal cord stimulator available.

Traditional spinal cord stimulation hasn’t changed much in 40 years. It offers low-frequency programs that use paresthesia (often described as a buzzing or tingling sensation) to mask pain, which some people find unpleasant.

HFX is the most advanced spinal cord stimulator available and the only device to offer both low-frequency and high-frequency program options to provide pain relief. The high-frequency programs offered only by HFX reduce pain without the tingling sensation, letting you just feel pain relief. You can learn more about how HFX is different from traditional spinal cord stimulators here.

That same 2015 study compared the pain relief experienced by people using a traditional spinal cord stimulator and people using HFX. It showed that HFX reduces pain for more people than traditional spinal cord stimulators – 73% of people with leg pain experienced significant pain relief with HFX. In comparison, with a traditional spinal cord stimulator, only 49% of people with leg pain experienced significant pain relief.¹

A real-world study also demonstrated the same outcomes for pain relief, showing that HFX relieves leg pain outside of controlled clinical environments.² In addition, thousands of patient stories provide evidence of HFX’s effectiveness.

You try Nevro HFX before you decide

No two people with chronic leg pain are alike, so it’s normal to wonder if HFX will work for you. To find out, you can try HFX first for about one week to see if it can effectively help manage your leg pain.

An HFX trial procedure is quick, simple, and outpatient and it’s usually performed in your doctor’s office. Similar to an epidural injection, however instead of medication, leads that deliver the therapy are placed in your back—no incisions required—and an external device is taped to your back. The temporary device is easily hidden under your clothes.

Then for about a week you get to “test” drive HFX to see how it relieves your pain and helps you meet your pain management goals. You’ll be encouraged to go about your normal routine and even try activities your pain has prevented you from doing like grocery shopping or standing for longer periods of time.

You and your doctor will work together closely to see if moving forward with the implant is the right option, but most people decide to have the implant procedure if they experience at least 50% pain relief during their trial.

A successful trial is also defined by your ability to complete daily activities, the need for pain medication, if you can relax and sleep better, and if your quality of life improves.

Learn more about the HFX trial here.

Real patients with chronic leg pain have found relief with Nevro HFX

More than 100,000 people worldwide have found chronic pain relief with HFX. That includes people with severe chronic leg pain like Michael and Mark.

Michael was a senior in high school when he first began experiencing hip and leg pain. A series of back surgeries over the next four decades led to some relief, but his unrelenting pain eventually returned. He tried injections before a pain management doctor suggested an HFX trial.

HFX provided significant pain relief during the trial and Michael received his implant soon after. “I consistently have 80% pain relief now,” he said.

Chronic lower back and leg pain over a period of 34 years left Mark unable to walk or stand, and sent him into depression. He tried many pain medications, injections, back braces, and physical therapy, but his pain was unrelenting. Mark even tried a traditional spinal cord stimulator, but it caused him severe discomfort on high settings.

“The difference between the traditional stimulator implant and HFX is like night and day,” said Mark. Since HFX, he’s back to doing all the things he loves—fishing, vacationing, and enjoying time with his kids and grandkids. “It doesn’t seem possible, but my pain is gone!”

Is Nevro HFX safe?

Yes. Spinal cord stimulation has been thoroughly studied and proven to be safe and effective for managing chronic nerve-related leg pain. HFX was FDA-approved in 2015 and has a very similar safety profile to other spinal cord stimulators that have been available for many years.

HFX safely delivers stimulation to relieve chronic pain that doesn’t interfere with your normal sensory perception, cognitive abilities, or motor functions. HFX doesn’t interact with pain medications and has significantly fewer side effects than other treatment options. If necessary, the procedure is completely reversible.

What kind of doctor offers Nevro HFX?

Pain management physicians who have received additional training to become HFX offer HFX. Finding a pain management physician is an important first step to properly treating your chronic leg pain.

Pain management physicians are the most qualified source of expertise to evaluate, diagnose, and treat chronic pain. And they are trained in the latest techniques for managing chronic pain.

If you’ve exhausted all treatment options for your leg pain with your current physician, then it’s time to find a pain management physician offering HFX.

Learn more about pain management physicians or find an HFX doctor near you.

Is Nevro HFX covered by insurance?

Yes. Since HFX is a well-established, FDA-approved treatment option, it’s covered by all major commercial insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare. Any specific plan questions can be answered by your doctor or insurer.

You can learn more about insurance coverage and cost here: How Much Does a Spinal Cord Stimulator Cost?

Find out if Nevro HFX can help relieve your chronic leg pain

If you’ve been suffering from leg pain, there is a chance to live a life with less pain, even if you’ve tried other pain management treatments without relief. HFX is great option for difficult-to-treat chronic nerve-related leg pain.

To see if HFX can help relieve the leg pain you’re experiencing, the first step is to take a short assessment today. At the end, you can request a call from an HFX Coach who will answer any questions you have and help you find an HFX doctor in your area.

Sources:

1. Kapural L, et al. Comparison of 10-kHz High-Frequency and Traditional Low-Frequency Spinal Cord Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Back and Leg Pain: 24-month Results from a Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Pivotal Trial. Neurosurgery. Published 09 2016
2. Stauss, T, et al. A multicenter real-world review of 10 kHz SCS outcomes for treatment of chronic trunk and/or limb pain. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. Jan. 22, 2019. *Mean time from implant to last visit is nine months.