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ROSWELL, Ga., April 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Health Care today announced the launch of MyCoolief.com , a consumer website designed to provide patients with information about its COOLIEF* Cooled Radiofrequency Treatment, a minimally invasive and non-surgical outpatient procedure used by interventional pain physicians to target the nerves causing chronic back pain in long-term sufferers.  

Kimberly-Clark has trademarked its proprietary cooled radiofrequency (RF) technology under the COOLIEF* brand name to differentiate it from standard or conventional RF ablation. The advanced procedure uses water-cooled radiofrequency energy to safely target and treat pain-causing sensory nerves in patients who have experienced little relief from traditional treatments such as oral anti-inflammatory medications, steroid injections, physical therapy, surgical interventions and standard RF. The COOLIEF* procedure circulates water through the device while heating nervous tissue to create a treatment area that is larger than conventional RF treatments. This combination targets the pain-causing nerves without excessive heating, leading to pain relief.

"I had started exercising but at one point, the pain was so bad that I couldn't even walk or stand. I realized that I was planning my life around my pain. COOLIEF* has been life-changing for me," said Sue Bartoszewski, a 60-year-old nurse manager from Illinois who was able to compete in an Ironman Triathlon just eight months after her first treatment. "I can now do all of the activities that I love again without that chronic, aching pain. In fact, I'm training for my second Ironman Triathlon since having the procedure."

Studies have demonstrated that radiofrequency treatment can provide up to 24 months of relief from chronic back pain.[1]  Most patients experience pain relief and improved mobility and are able to return to their normal activities within a few weeks. COOLIEF* can only be performed by Kimberly-Clark trained physicians. To help patients find COOLIEF*-trained physicians in their area, www.MyCoolief.com includes a physician locator tool.

"Four out of five adults in the United States experience chronic lower back pain[2] and Americans spend at least $50 billion each year trying to treat it[3]. It's a very painful and difficult-to-treat chronic condition," said Lisa Kudlacz, General Manager, Interventional Pain Management, Kimberly-Clark Health Care. "Medication alone does not effectively target pain and can lead to side effects including nausea, grogginess and addiction. Surgery can be beneficial but it is not for everyone. COOLIEF* offers patients a minimally invasive, safe and effective option to alleviate chronic back pain and help them return to their everyday lives."

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark Corp. (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust K-C's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex^®, Scott^®, Huggies^®, Pull-Ups^®, Kotex^® and Depend^®, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the Company's 142-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.  

Kimberly-Clark in the Healthcare Environment
Around the world, medical professionals turn to Kimberly-Clark for a wide portfolio of solutions that improve the health, hygiene and well-being of their patients and staff. As part of their healing mission, caregivers rely on Kimberly-Clark to deliver clinical solutions, hygiene & cleaning offerings, and educational resources that they can depend on to prevent, diagnose and manage a wide variety of healthcare-associated infections. A global enterprise of more than $1 billion, Kimberly-Clark Health Care holds the No. 1 or No. 2 market share position in several categories, including infection control solutions, surgical solutions, pain management, hygiene solutions, digestive health and respiratory health. And throughout the care continuum, patients and staff alike trust Kimberly-Clark medical supplies and devices, KLEENEX^® tissues, KLEENEX^® & SCOTT^® skin care products and SCOTT^® towels for day-to-day needs. For more information, visit http://www.kchealthcare.com and http://www.kcprofessional.com.

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[1]Stelzer W., Aiglesberger M., Stelzer D., Stelzer V., Use of Cooled Radiofrequency Lateral Branch Neurotomy for the Treatment of Sacroiliac Joint-Mediated Low Back Pain: A Large Case Series, Pain Medicine, January 2013, Volume 14, Issue 1, pages 29-25.
Ho KY., Hadi MA., Pasutharnchat K., Tan KH., Cooled radiofrequency denervation for treatment of sacroiliac joint pain: two-year results from 20 cases, Journal of Pain Research, July 2013, Volume 2013:6, pages 505-511.
[2]Cohen, S., Randomized Placebo-controlled Study Evaluating Lateral Branch Radiofrequency Denervation for Sacroiliac Joint Pain, Anesthesiology, August 2008, V. 109, No. 2, pages 279-287.
http://journals.lww.com/anesthesiology/pages/results.aspx?k=Randomized%20Placebo-Controlled%20Study%20Evaluating%20Lateral%20Branch&Scope=AllIssues&txtKeywords=Randomized%20Placebo-Controlled%20Study%20Evaluating%20Lateral%20Branch
[3]Low Back Pain Fact Sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH Publication), 2003. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain/detail_backpain.htm

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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Health Care