FAQ Spinal Cord Stimulators
Coping with Chronic pain can be one of life’s greatest challenges. Optimum pain control with fewer side effects is our goal at New York Pain Management. There are many modalities that are common in treating chronic pain (such as neck and back pain). Treatments may include physical therapy, oral medications, chiropractic care, injections, such as epidural steroids, lysis of adhesions, facet joint injections and radiofrequency procedures.
When treatments such as these fail to provide relief, surgery may or may not be an option. When surgery is not an option, there are specialized modalities that have been developed that can be used to help control pain.
Simple implanted devices called “Spinal Cord Stimulators” can be extremely effective in diminishing and controlling pain. The device controls pain by gently stimulating specific nerves, diminishing painful sensations and ultimately gives the patient control over how much or how little stimulation he or she receives.
Details can be found at here.
This advanced approach to pain management is useful in treating multiple pain syndromes including sciatica, post laminectomy syndrome, nerve pain such as diabetic neuropathy, neuralgias and reflex sympathetic dystrophy or ischemic pain.
FAQ on Spinal Cord Stimulators
When evaluated by New York Pain Management’s board certified physicians, you will undergo a full history and physical exam. If your diagnosis is one that will benefit from spinal cord stimulation AND we find that ALL available less invasive treatments have been tried and failed, we will recommend you for trial stimulation.
At New York Pain Management, a trial spinal cord stimulator is done with temporary leads. The leads are inserted under x-ray guidance and left in place for a few days. This procedure takes approximately one hour and is done under light sedation. The trial gives the patients the opportunity to experience what stimulation feels like and to determine if it is beneficial for them. They are easily removed in minutes once the trial is done.
Spinal cord stimulation has been safely used for over two decades in accredited facilities by trained board certified physicians. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved spinal cord stimulation for use with multiple types of pain. Risks can include hematoma, infection, failure of the stimulator and isolated nerve injury.
For additional questions on this subject or other chronic pain questions, and how we can possibly help you, please feel free to contact Dr. Gordon via e-mail info@nypainfree.com or call us directly at the number below.”
