One Acadiana man— was diagnosed with diabetes nearly 40 years ago.
He was one of the first to receive a procedure three years into its trial stages—we now know it relieves nearly 90 percent of diabetic pain or foot pain called Painful Diabetic Neuropathy.
He is now speaking out on the treatment –he says allowed him to get his life back.
"I was diagnosed as a diabetic probably in 1982. I was almost about to the point where you couldn't put your feet down under the covers," Arnold said.
Earl Arnold from Lafayette suffered from diabetic foot pain for decades.
"Would I would be busy all day and come in and take off my boots and my socks and that and get in the recliner My feet would be burning. They would be tingling. You know they would just be you know hurting," Arnold said.
He says since receiving a procedure that consisted of implanting a spinal cord stimulation device called nevro HFX – he is now able to do everyday activities with no pain.
"Know I'm one of the first ones to get it for the neuropathy and I have to say it's really made a big difference," Arnold said.
The procedure was FDA-approved for this indication on July 20-21.
Dr. Damon Patterson says he now uses the treatment on many of his patients locally.
and says seeing positive results from patients who have experienced so much pain from diabetes –is relieving.
"So being one of the first ones to receive that treatment in this area, that was just extremely exciting. It was very rewarding for me personally. And it gave us a lot of excitement about what the future holds," Patterson said.
"That debilitating called neuropathic pain, the burning pain the shooting pain the stabbing pain the pain that basically keeps them from walking with stability and keeps them from sleeping deeply. That's the pain that this is going to target," Patterson said.
Patterson says the treatment has a 90 percent success rate.
"The way that it works. You don't feel the stimulation, you know, you feel the system working, but it just removes the pain and so what they'll find is a drastic reduction in those feelings those uncomfortable feelings like I talked about, you know some," Patterson said.
"You know, sometimes they promise you things and they don't come through with it. But this is one procedure that's really has come through and made my life better," Arnold said.
Patterson says the procedure is creating new hope and opportunities for patients receiving the treatment.
And consult with your doctor prior to receiving the HFX treatment.
For more information on the treatment click here.
