Do you suffer from chronic pain? You’re not alone. Millions of Americans experience mild to severe pain every single day. Whether it’s the result of an injury or serious disorder, chronic pain can prevent you from living life fully. Thankfully, there are treatment options.
You’ve probably tried home remedies, medications, and even surgery. But unfortunately, none of these worked to ease your symptoms. Don’t give up, at least not before considering the latest option in spinal cord stimulation. Our doctors at Optimal Pain & Regenerative Medicine® believe in the healing power of this treatment and here’s why:
What is spinal cord stimulation?
Spinal cord stimulation is a type of chronic pain management. It prevents parts of your body from sending pain signals to your brain.
When you feel pain, your body transmits signals to your brain, a way of notifying you that something is wrong. Pain is often a critical way to alert you of injury or disease.
Chronic pain happens when you continue to feel pain even after an injury is healed. With chronic pain, the pain itself is the problem. Spinal cord stimulation interrupts pain signals before they get to the brain, resulting in less pain.
A spinal cord stimulator consists of thin wires called electrodes and a small battery pack that serves as a generator. Doctors place the generator underneath your skin and the electrodes between your spinal cord and vertebrae. The generator releases low-level energy that you don’t feel. The mild pulse intercepts pain signals.
Spinal cord stimulators provide relief without drugs or the irritating side effects that come with older technologies.
What conditions does cord stimulation treat?
Spinal cord stimulation can treat all sorts of chronic pain because the treatment masks pain signals. Here are some conditions spinal cord stimulation has been known to treat:
- Chronic neck and back pain
- Chronic pain in the arms and legs
- Neuropathic pain from diabetes or radiation
Spinal cord stimulation impacts everyone differently. That’s why treatment begins with a trial system where electrodes are temporarily attached to your nerves. Your response to the treatment is monitored for several weeks. Trials are usually considered successful if they mask at least 50% of your pain.
Why should you try spinal cord stimulation?
Some cases of chronic pain can be cured or relieved when a doctor identifies or alters the source of your pain. But if doctors haven’t been able to identify or fix your source of pain with other treatments, spinal cord stimulation is a viable option.
If you’re tired of suffering from chronic pain, consider spinal cord stimulation for drug-free relief. To learn more about spinal cord stimulation and the implantation process, come see us!
If you think spinal cord stimulation could be the right treatment for your chronic pain, visit our website to book an appointment.