A new arthritis treatment being tried in the UK may provide relief from spinal arthritis pain. Surgeons implant a small, gel-filled cushion or pillow into the back, helping to relieve patients' pain.

Spinal arthritis is a common cause of back pain. This form of arthritis results from the degeneration of the cartilage between the vertebrae. Often, this results in impacted nerves in the spinal column, causing pain, weakness, and numbness.

Spinal arthritis most often is suffered by adults over 55 years old. Additionally, the condition can be exacerbated in overweight or obese people and on people whose life activities put repetitive stress on the spinal joints. About eight and a half million English residents suffer from spinal arthritis. Although many have minor symptoms, others are severely limited by the pain.

Historically, treatments for spinal arthritis have been limited to physical therapy, painkillers (including NSAIDs), corticosteroid injections, and adaptive behavior, limiting the patient’s ability to enjoy life.

UK residents can now try a new treatment, the implant of a small "pillow" to relieve spinal arthritis symptoms.

Recently, the British NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) approved the "DIAM" implant (short for "Device for Intervertebral Assisted Motion"). The United States FDA has not yet approved the device. The DIAM device is a small, H-shaped cushion filed with silicone gel, surrounded by a polyester mesh with polyester ties. The DIAM implant acts as a pillow - cushioning and stabilizing the patient's vertebral joint. It is implanted between the spinous processes — the parts of the vertebrae that protrude from the back of the spine (you can feel them if you run your finger up and down your back) — around the injured area.

The DIAM implant was developed by Medtronic, a United States medical product manufacturer. Medtronic's research concludes that the DIAM implant functions as a shock absorber, as well as restoring the joint's function, relieving pain. The company’s study involved 68 patients between the ages of 23 and 75. Patients’ movement improved by an average of 64%, and their pain decreased by an average of 71%. All of the studied patients showed improvement. The age of the patient did not seem to have an effect on the results.

Implant of the device is typically performed on an outpatient basis, with the surgery lasting less than 45 minutes. The implant surgery is performed with the patient lying on his or her stomach. The surgeon makes a small incision near the injured joint, and retracts the muscle and tissue to get to the spine. The doctor then removes any arthritis caused bony outgrowths or other debris in the area. The device is implanted into the patient between two spinous processes (the bumps on your spine), and then tied off against adjacent vertebrae to stabilize the implant. A few stitches concludes the procedure.

Patients usually go home the same day, soon after the general anesthesia has worn off. While sometimes, physical therapy is used to improve the patient’s core strength and stability, most of the time no rehabilitation is required.