Spinal Cord Stimulation is a technology that is used to aid patients with severe, refractory, neuropathic pain. This pain is generally considered to be a result of nerve damage at some level. Common examples of these conditions include: pain after neck or back surgery, complex regional pain syndrome (formerly known as RSD or Causalgia), diabetic neuropathy, and many others.
The technology of a spinal cord stimulator works by essentially distracting your brain from the pain. Although, the pain is not completely gone, the brain is “busy” processing a more pleasant buzzing/massaging type sensation in the area the pain was previously present. For example, if someone had surgery and continued having pain in the back and left leg following surgery, the spinal cord stimulator would be placed to cover the back and left leg with the massaging sensation. One of the greatest advantages of spinal cord stimulation is that it allows the patient to be in control. The remote control allows a patient to regulate turning it on and off, the intensity of it, as well as multiple different programs. Some patients find that using this for a few minutes a day is sufficient to control the worst episodes, while others leave it on 24 hours a day.
The procedure to have this type of device involves two parts. The first part is known as the trial and the second is the implant. During the trial phase, 2 wires are placed in the epidural space using local anesthesia. The is an outpatient procedure that is about as invasive as an epidural steroid injection. The patient then takes the device home for several days with the external wires attached to a battery and remote control. When the patient returns the wires are removed in the office and discarded. At this point, a determination is made as to whether the patient received the relief that they desired. If the patient and physician feel that this is a beneficial technology, the patient proceeds to the next phase: the permanent implantation. This step involves a minor surgical procedure to place a small rechargeable battery under the skin to connect to the wires. After this procedure, there is nothing left external to the body and all control and recharging is done via a paddle placed on the skin above the battery.
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