All You Need to Know Concerning Spinal Cord Stimulation

Some people experiencing severe pain keep trying various treatment options to leave them pain-free. In most cases, chronic or severe pain can resist pain medications such that you still experience the pain even after taking pain killers or trying out home remedies such as hot or cold therapies. However, there is no need to bear this type of pain because various effective treatment options are available, including spinal cord stimulation. Spinal cord stimulation helps alleviate treatment-resistant pain by altering the nervous transmission of pain to your brain. Therefore, spinal cord stimulation Houston specialists are here to your rescue if you are experiencing chronic pain even after trying various treatments and seeking relief. They are experienced and board-certified pain specialists who use spinal cord stimulation when other pain reduction methods are not working. Below is all you need to know concerning spinal cord stimulation.

What is spinal cord stimulation?

Spinal cord stimulation is a medical procedure performed to help people experiencing severe chronic pain that is non-responsive to other therapies. It uses the neurostimulation technique that alters your brain’s perception of pain being transmitted by your spinal cord nerves. Spinal cord stimulation alleviates neck, back, and limp pain due to compressed nerves in your spine. Usually, most spinal cord stimulation devices are implanted into your spinal column, thus making the procedure minimally invasive. And before your care provider commits to full implantation, he performs trials first for you to see how the method is effective in alleviating your pain.

What are the different types of spinal cord stimulation?

Generally, there are various types of spinal cord stimulation devices available. Some older models induce paresthesia, making your brain perceive pain signals as tingling sensations. The sensation does not affect most people, but some dislike it. Most advanced technologies are currently preferred because they use high frequencies, thus not triggering paresthesia but switching pain signals simultaneously. Therefore, pain experts specializing in spinal cord stimulation use the most advanced stimulators, such as the Nervro HFX HF10 system and Abbott Proclaim XRSCS system with Burst DR.

What does spinal cord stimulator implantation entail?

Trial implantation of a spinal cord stimulator is first performed to help determine if the procedure effectively alleviates your pain. Your care provider begins by anesthetizing the skin around the implantation site to reduce pain and discomfort during the procedure. Your care provider then inserts either one or two insulated wire leads which have been threaded through an epidural needle. A tiny incision can also be made in the epidural space granting your care provider access to your spinal nerves.

To ensure the leads are placed in the right position, your care provider asks you to inform them when you feel a great pain reduction. You usually wear an external unit during your trial period, which is controlled using a remote device that can turn the intensity up when the pain flares up and down when you are at ease. And if your trial becomes a success, your care provider prepares you to undergo a full implantation procedure which involves replacing the leads with a spinal cord stimulator generator beneath the skin around your abdomen or buttocks.

Spinal cord stimulation is effective in alleviating severe chronic pain. Therefore, if you are experiencing chronic pain and seek relief, you can start by calling Expert Pain today for more information.