How does spinal cord stimulation relieve pain?
Spinal cord stimulators alter nerve activity in your spine using an electrical impulse. This technique, called neuromodulation, blocks, or masks the pain signals traveling through your nerves. When communication between the nerve and brain is interrupted, your brain doesn't receive the pain signals. As a result, you won't feel the pain even though the source of the pain is still there.
However, before a spinal cord stimulator can be implanted, you must first complete a trial period to ensure that a spinal cord stimulator can offer you substantial relief.
What conditions are treated with spinal cord stimulation?
The team at Indiana Neurology and Pain Center may recommend a spinal cord stimulator trial to see if neuromodulation can help relieve chronic back or leg pain caused by:
- Sciatica
- Herniated disc
- Osteoarthritis
- Bone spurs
- Degenerative disc disease
- Spinal stenosis
- Failed back surgery
- Complex regional pain syndrome
Spinal cord stimulators are also effective for treating pain due to peripheral neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease.
What can I expect from a spinal cord stimulator trial?
Before having a spinal cord stimulator implanted, you must first go through a trial period. The stimulator’s lead wires must be placed in your spine, but you wear the generator around your waist for about a week.
The trial period gives you enough time to determine whether spinal cord stimulation successfully relieves your pain. Based on your results, you can decide whether you want to keep the device and have the generator implanted or remove the wires altogether.
Am I a good candidate for a spinal cord stimulator trial?
Before your trial begins, Dr. Kundi evaluates your overall health, prescription regimen, and pain history to determine whether a spinal cord stimulator trial is an appropriate course of treatment for you.
You may be a good candidate if you've had debilitating pain for at least three months and:
- Conservative treatments have failed
- Additional surgery isn't recommended, or you don't want surgery
- You don't have medical conditions that would interfere with the trial or implantation surgery
Don't continue to suffer from chronic back pain when effective treatments are available, call Indiana Neurology and Pain Center, or book an appointment online today.
