Efficacy of high-frequency spinal cord stimulation for fibromyalgia syndrome in two cases: case reports

Abstract

Abstract Background Reports on the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for the alleviation of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) pain are scarce. We report two cases of effective high-frequency SCS at 1000 Hz against upper- and lower-limb pain in patients with FMS. Case presentation Two women with widespread pain were diagnosed with FMS and the pain gradually worsened. A 1-week SCS trial was conducted in each patient. In both cases, the patients complained of unpleasant sensations during 10-Hz SCS. However, the pain was alleviated after 1000-Hz stimulation without irritation. Therefore, leads and a generator were implanted, after which they felt almost no pain. Moreover, the dose of the oral medication could be reduced and the patients returned to their daily lives. Conclusion SCS at 1000 Hz may effectively treat pain associated with FMS. Therefore, performing an SCS trial for patients with FMS with intractable pain might be worthwhile.

Keywords

• Fibromyalgia syndrome
• Treatment
• Spinal cord stimulation
• 1000-Hz stimulation
• SCS trial