Qutenza, used for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with diabetic neuropathy of the foot is now available at the Center for Spine and Orthopedics. Continue reading below for more information about the treatment as well as facts about neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Click here to contact us to schedule an appointment and discuss the use of Qutenza for your neuropathic pain.

Now Available at the Center for Spine and Orthopedics

Qutenza® for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain Associated with Diabetic Neuropathy of the Foot

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Qutenza® (capsaicin) 8% patch for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) of the feet in adults. A single localized procedure with QUTENZA® may provide up to 3 months of pain relief. Qutenza is the first and only treatment of its kind to deliver prescription strength capsaicin directly into the skin.

Physicians at the Center for Spine and Orthopedics (CSO) are now offering Qutenza during an in-office procedure as another way to effectively treat neuropathic pain. Qutenza can desensitize and defunctionalize the TRPV1 (Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1) receptor, which plays a critical role in pain signaling.

Relief with Qutenza has no known drug interactions. The most common adverse reactions are erythema (skin redness), pain, and pruritus (itching) at the application site. The majority of these reactions are transient. Qutenza® (capsaicin) 8% patch was approved in the U.S. for the management of neuropathic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia in 2009; the FDA approved it for the management of neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain associated on July 21, 2020. Qutenza is manufactured by Averitas Pharma.

Providers at the Center for Spine and Orthopedics specializing in the application of Qutenza include Dr. Eric Kuhlman, Dr. Paul Leo and Jacque Carbone, APNP.

For an appointment with a provider trained in the application of Qutenza, please call the Center for Spine and Orthopedics at 303-287-2800.

Facts About Neuropathic Pain Associated with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

• More than 34 million Americans – just over 1 in 10 – have diabetes, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage caused by diabetes, is one of its most common complications.
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) affects around 28% of all patients diagnosed with diabetes and approximately half of those with DPN will experience the debilitating manifestations of painful DPN in their lifetime.
• DPN is a progressive and debilitating condition in which patients experience symptoms of numbness, tingling, as well as shooting or stabbing sensations that most often affect the lower extremities. Its consequences can be devastating and may result in foot ulcers, lower limb amputations, and other poor outcomes.
• In the U.S., one-fourth of the health expenditure on diabetes is spent on diabetic peripheral neuropathy and is estimated to be more than $10 billion annually.