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Electrical spinal-cord stimulation offers a new and effective way of relieving chronic diabetic neuropathic pain and improves excercise tolerance, according to a recent study.

The technique should be considered in patients with neuropathic pain who do not respond to conventional treatment, researchers suggest.

Peripheral neuropathy, mainly in the legs and toes, is common long-term complication of diabetes. It often causes loss of sleep at night as well as disabling pain. Conventional treatment by drugs, largely aimed at relieving pain, often is ineffective and complicated by side-effects.

Researchers studied ten diabetic patients who did not respond to conventional treatment. Treated with electrical spinal-cord stimulation, eight experienced significant pain relief and were converted to a permanent system.

The study was reported in the December 21 / 28, 1996 issue of the Lancet.