WEST LINN, Ore. (KOIN) — Those suffering from chronic pain go to great lengths to find relief. But things like prescription drugs, physical therapy, acupuncture and massages don’t always work for everyone.
A local dentist who suffered severe head and neck pain for years says he’s finally pain-free thanks to something called Scrambler Therapy.
“I still remember thinking that day, ‘this is a little different, but we’ll give it a try,'” Dr. Kyle Valentine told KOIN 6 News. “I came in that day and I couldn’t move. In fact, my kids always made fun of me.”
Valentine says he tried nearly everything to help relieve his head and neck pain. When things were at their worst, he even had to close down his practice. Then, he heard about Scrambler Therapy at the Radiant Pain Relief Center in West Linn.
After his first treatment, Valentine says he was pain-free.
“This is definitely the future of chronic pain,” Radiant Pain Relief Center CEO Brendon Lundberg said. “We have no side effects, we don’t use drugs, we don’t use needles. There’s no risk to this technology.”
So, how does it work?
Scrambler Therapy virtually re-trains the brain when it comes to the way it responds to pain. Electrodes are placed on the body in pairs, and a Scrambler Therapy machine directs electrical signals to simulate non-pain information in patients.
“[The] device acts like an artificial nerve and it generates a series of impulses which are obviously artificial… they mimic what exists in us naturally when we don’t have chronic pain,” Lundberg explained.
The technology was cleared by the FDA in 2009. In some cases, 10 treatments are enough to relieve symptoms of chronic pain.
In Valentine’s case, his treatments are becoming less frequent. His last one was about 9 months ago. In the meantime, he’s built a new life for himself, serving on the board of directors for the Jerome Kersey Foundation.
And, most importantly, his kids have their dad back.
“Now he can do stuff,” Valentine’s son Derek said. “He’s gotten a lot better.”
The cost for Scrambler Therapy varies, but it’s typically around $250 a treatment. It is currently not covered by insurance.
Radiant Pain Relief Center offers the first session for free and sells packages for treatments.