SPRINT PNS; Shoulder pain
In his youth, Tim spent years performing in rodeos. He was used to getting injured, but always managed to recover. However, after a fall two years ago that broke his shoulder, the ongoing pain from that injury brought Tim to his knees.
“I was just walking and didn’t watch where I was going, and down I went,” explains Tim, a retired chef and grandfather of four. The fall fractured his back and broke his right shoulder, landing him in the hospital. After being discharged, he was in so much discomfort his care team recommended that Tim see a specialist to help him manage his pain. He didn’t like that idea: “I didn’t want anyone sticking needles in me,” he says. “But soon my back and shoulder hurt so bad, I knew I had to do something.”
That’s when Tim began seeing a pain management specialist. The doctor first tried cortisone injections in Tim’s back and his shoulder, which provided some relief, but it didn’t last more than a week or two. The doctor then performed a procedure called ablation in which he burned the affected nerves. The ablation relieved the pain in Tim’s back, but when the doctor tried it on Tim’s shoulder, it had no effect.
A world of hurt
Tim became frustrated because the pain was affecting all aspects of his life — including his moods. “I was so mean, but I couldn’t help it. I hated myself,” recalls Tim. He says people just stayed away from him and his anger hurt his relationship with his grandkids. “I couldn’t do anything with them. I was just miserable.”
Most days, he says his pain level was 10 out of 10 and he went through a lot of ibuprofen, which brought limited relief. Moreover, the pain would wake him up several times during the night, so he always felt tired.
Tim’s passion is woodworking, and he runs a small business making everything from custom yard signs to Adirondack chairs, but his shoulder pain made it difficult to fulfill customers’ orders. “I couldn’t lift my arm above my head. And there were days I couldn’t even lift 10 pounds and I had to wait until my wife got home from work to help me.”
A new physician and new approach
Finally, at his family doctor’s recommendation, Tim started seeing another pain medicine physician. After hearing all Tim had been through, the new pain specialist recommended trying SPRINT® PNS, a 60-day treatment for chronic pain. Tim says the doctor explained how the SPRINT PNS System worked, but Tim was skeptical. “I didn’t know what to think, to be honest,” says Tim. “When he said he was going to put this thing in me, even if just for 60 days, I first thought, ‘no way,’ but the pain was so bad, I said ‘let’s try it.’”
About two days after beginning the SPRINT treatment, Tim says he started to feel relief, with his pain levels moving from a 10 down to a six or a seven. Within two weeks, he says his pain level was at a one and, as a result of his pain relief, he could lift his arm all the way up.
“I began sleeping through the night, too, and now I can do my woodworking projects without pain,” says Tim. And even though his pain physician early on had prescribed a painkiller called Norco, Tim has still not taken it. “I don’t even take ibuprofen anymore,” he says.
And the best part of it all is that his family has noticed a difference in his demeanor. “I’m a happy-go-lucky guy now. I can get on the floor and play with the great-grandkids and carry on a good conversation with the grandkids and it’s just fabulous,” he says. “I would recommend SPRINT treatment to anyone. It has been a lifesaver for me. I’m just a much happier person.”
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.
