What Is A Spinal Cord Stimulator Implant?
A spinal cord stimulator implant is a device that can mask pain signals before they reach the brain. A small device, comparable to a pacemaker, is implanted to send low levels of electricity directly to the spinal cord to help relieve pain. This procedure can be useful in relieving chronic pain and other medical conditions.
A spinal cord stimulator implant can improve the quality of life of someone coping with chronic pain. Patients find that, afterward, they have more restful sleep and reduced need for pain medications. Spinal cord stimulation therapy is typically used in conjunction with exercise, physical therapy, medications, relaxation methods, and other treatment methods as part of a pain management plan.
What Conditions Can A Spinal Cord Stimulator Implant Be Used to Address?
- Chronic pain in the legs or arms
- Chronic back pain (especially pain that continues after surgical attempts to relieve pain)
- Injuries to the spinal cord
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Arachnoiditis (pain due to inflammation of the arachnoid, a thin membrane that covers the spinal cord and brain)
- Peripheral vascular disease (a circulatory condition in which blood flow to the limbs is reduced due to narrow blood vessels)
- Heart pain (angina)
- Visceral (severe) abdominal and perineal pain
- Cancer-related neuropathy due to chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery
- Chronic pain due to diabetic neuropathy (in which someone with diabetes experiences a burning or stabbing pain sensation in the feet or legs)
- Help with reducing the use of opioid medications
- Pain after an amputation
How Does A Spinal Cord Stimulator Implant Work?
With either X-ray or ultrasound guidance, a doctor with highly-specialized training surgically implants the spinal cord stimulator device. The device itself consists of a small battery pack (the generator) similar to a pacemaker, and thin wires (the electrodes). The generator is placed under the skin, near the buttocks or abdomen. The electrodes are placed in the epidural space, between the spinal cord and the vertebrae.
After undergoing this procedure, patients will be able to use a remote control to send electronic impulses with the implanted device whenever they feel pain. It is believed that the electronic impulses from the device can target multiple muscle groups and potentially even alter how the brain itself senses pain. While traditional spinal cord implants would replace the pain sensation with a light tingling sensation called paresthesia, modern spinal cord implant devices offer sub-perception-type stimulation that cannot be felt at all.
Am I A Good Candidate For A Spinal Cord Stimulator Implant?
If you are wondering if a spinal cord stimulator implant would be beneficial to your condition, speak to your doctor. Your pain specialist may order imaging tests. Some insurance companies may require a psychological screening to ensure that conditions such as depression or anxiety are not exacerbating your pain. A suitable candidate for spinal cord stimulator therapy would not have psychiatric disorders that would potentially decrease the effectiveness of the procedure, nor would they have experienced adequate pain relief from conventional methods such as medications, less-invasive procedures, or prior surgeries.
For those who wonder if they could benefit from a spinal cord stimulator implant in their journey to managing chronic pain, consider MVM Health. If you are living with chronic pain and find that it is affecting your enjoyment of day-to-day life, it may be time to seek treatment and pain management. For patients in Pennsylvania, MVM Health is glad to offer services in East Stroudsburg, Scranton, Wilkes Barre, and Lehigh Valley. The experts at MVM Health would be glad to offer guidance and a variety of treatment methods for chronic pain. Call 223-213-2084 to request an appointment.
