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Carol Van Der Pennen, who suffered debilitating back pain from a car crash, has regained her mobility and independence after receiving a new Australian-developed spinal cord stimulator that automatically adjusts to her body's needs, allowing her to hike Mount Fuji and travel again.
‘It’s given me my life back. ’grandmother who once struggled to walk has now hiked around Japan’s Mount Fuji after a breakthrough Australian-developed implant dramatically improved her chronic back pain.
For five years, Carol Van Der Pennen lived with debilitating back pain following a serious crash that left her unable to enjoy the life she once had. Know the news with the 7NEWS app:The southern suburbs grandmother said her health and independence declined after her vintage Rolls-Royce was rear-ended at 80km/h, leaving her with constant pain.
“With constant pain you can’t think, you can’t sleep and your mental processes are totally scrambled,” she said. Everything changed in February when doctors implanted a new spinal cord stimulator designed to automatically respond to changes in a patient’s body. Her vintage Rolls Royce was rear-ended. The device works by sending electrical pulses to disrupt pain signals before they reach the brain.
Unlike traditional stimulators, the latest technology continually adjusts treatment based on how the body is responding. Pain specialist Matthew Green said the system removes many of the frustrations patients have experienced with older devices. The technology was approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration earlier this year and was developed in Australia. The implant gave the Adelaide grandmother her life back.
The grandmother who once relied on a walking stick has since travelled overseas, exploring Japan and planning her next adventure. Van Der Pennen is also back behind the wheel of a vintage car, with a new lease on life and a future she once thought had been taken away from her.
Medical Technology Back Pain Treatment Spinal Cord Stimulator Australian Innovation Patient Recovery
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