Implant technology offers chronic back pain hope

A “life changing” treatment that uses implanted electrodes to stimulate muscles and relieve chronic low back pain is now available for patients in Newcastle.

The specialist pain management team at the Royal Victoria Infirmary has introduced ReActiv8, a device which improves neuromuscular control by restoring signals between the brain and muscles in the lower back. 

Designed for patients who have not responded to conventional treatments such as physiotherapy, medication or injections, ReActiv8, which is inserted into the lower back in a short operation under local anaesthetic, aims to restore mobility and overall wellbeing.

Doctor Sachin Rastogi, consultant anaesthetist who specialises in chronic pain at Newcastle Hospitals, said: “This technology can be life transforming. 

“It’s potentially a cure for this particular type of low back pain where there is muscle weakness. 

“It will really benefit a significant number of people who are suitable.

“You can’t exercise this muscle through physiotherapy, as it’s very deep in the spine. 

“If it gets weak or loses function, the pathway from brain to muscle is lost, so this battery stimulates the muscles instead.”

Ashleigh Hughes, a 38-year-old nurse, is one of the first patients to receive the implant.

Having struggled with severe back pain for years and in a vicious cycle of trying pain killers and various procedures before undergoing the procedure, Ashleigh’s life has been “transformed”, with the pain being “massively improved” and enabling her to regain her mobility and lose three stone in the process.

She added: “I had no injury; it just came on for an unknown reason and didn’t settle.

“I would work a long shift and end up in pain for two days.

“I had to stop some of my clinical duties looking after patients and focus on the management side of my role, which was more desk based. 

“At home I couldn’t walk far and after any activity like gardening I would be in a lot of pain afterwards.

“I was going through process of learning to live with the pain. I’m fairly young, so thinking this might be as good as it gets for the rest of your life is daunting and I became quite subdued.”

“Since I’ve had this device put in, it’s been a real transformation.

“The pain has massively improved and I’m much stronger with more energy. 

“I’m in a better position mentally, it’s been life changing for me.” 

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