Results of a recent study suggest that a non-surgical heat treatment could offer relief to thousands of people who suffer from chronic back pain. Researchers found that 81% of patients given intradiscal electrothermal treatment (IDET) experienced a 7-point or greater improvement in their physical functioning, whereas 45% experienced an impressive 28-point improvement. The treatment also improved the length of time patients were able to stay seated from an average of just 33-minutes before the treatment to 85-minutes at the 2-year follow up. Furthermore, patients also reported significant decreases in pain, and improvements in their quality of life and general health. According to study leader Dr Jeffrey A Salal, the findings suggest that IDET could be an option for patients wishing to avoid spinal fusion.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Spine 2002; 27:966-973
