In 2021, the SPRINT PNS System received an expanded indication allowing for the on-label treatment of headaches.* Board-certified anesthesiologist, interventional pain specialist and SPR consultant Dr. Samir Sheth shares his experiences with SPRINT PNS in the treatment of headaches and stimulation of the occipital nerves.
What treatment options are available for patients with headaches?
Prior to SPRINT PNS, I had success using traditional spinal cord stimulation (SCS) systems to stimulate the occipital nerve, but I couldn’t always get approval or authorization for those cases. In addition, my experience with SCS systems is that they were tedious and had issues with lead migration and lead erosion. Also, in my experience, the other common headache treatments like medications, opioids, Botox and greater occipital nerve pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) all come with significant potential downsides.
What makes the SPRINT PNS System appealing for the treatment of headaches?
With SPRINT PNS, my experience is that the risks are low, and the benefits can be significant. If I can potentially achieve fewer headache days and reduce medication use with a drug-free device like SPRINT PNS, why wouldn’t I consider that first? The potential to obtain sustained pain relief with a non-destructive device like SPRINT PNS provides clinicians with a powerful option for our patients.
With serious adverse events being rare and infections occurring in only about 1-2% of patients, the safety profile is another reason I like to present this option. The most common adverse event is skin irritation from the adhesive components, with other less-reported events including itching at the electrode exit site, granuloma, and pain after electrode placement.
Tell us about your experience using SPRINT PNS for the treatment of headaches?
I’ve been very impressed with the amount of relief my patients are experiencing. Many of my patients with occipital nerve stimulation have done so well—describing significant pain relief, and their medication use is down to almost zero. For me, that’s a significant win that we often do not discuss, because of the potential impact of chronic use of NSAIDs and migraine medications on their bodies.
That’s why I don’t ask about pain scores with my headache patients. Instead, I focus on asking my patients if they are taking less medications and experiencing fewer headaches.
When do you recommend considering the use of the SPRINT PNS System for patients who experience headaches?
Because of the referral pattern for patients experiencing headaches, SPRINT PNS is often one of the first approaches I offer. It’s very rare that the primary care physician will refer to us for a headache or migraine. Most of my headache patients are referred by a neurologist but aren’t typically referred until after they’ve already tried many different treatments — multiple types of medications, opioids, Botox injections, etc. So, unless a patient comes to me with a different kind of pain that also has a headache, migraine or occipital neuralgia component, I’m not typically able to introduce the SPRINT treatment until later in their overall treatment journey.
What would you like referring physicians to know about the use of SPRINT PNS for headaches?
There are many patients with headaches who would be great candidates for SPRINT PNS earlier in the treatment algorithm — whether they’ve failed medication, don’t want medication, or have experienced side effects.
Ultimately, in patients who have occipital headaches, there are very few reasons not to consider the SPRINT PNS System early in the care continuum—it’s a non-opioid, non-permanent, non-surgical treatment. I’ve been very impressed with the relief I’ve seen so far, and I am very excited to have opportunities to increase therapy awareness for this debilitating condition.
Contact us or your representative to learn more about treating headaches with SPRINT PNS.
* The SPRINT PNS System is not intended to be placed in the region innervated by the cranial and facial nerves.
SPR® Therapeutics Recognized as a Top Workplace in Northeast Ohio for the Third Year in a Row 
Leave a Reply