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The trial period lasts anywhere from 5-7 days depending on a patient’s relief pattern. The lead placement is similar in approach and invasiveness of a standard “nerve block”. These leads are connected to an external battery which you wear for the duration of the trial. A trial involves placing two small leads into the epidural space. The process of spinal cord stimulation begins with a trial. Somatic pain is pain generated from a non-nerve source such as a muscle or bone. Spinal cord stimulation is not for everyone with chronic pain, as it is not intended to treat somatic pain. In some cases, you may need to try, and fail, another type of treatment before qualifying for a spinal cord stimulator trial. Pain physicians generally recommend this procedure only after several other conservative treatments have not been successful in relieving your pain. Spinal cord stimulation is a treatment option that may help reduce pain from a variety of sources, including:īack pain due to degenerative disc diseaseīack and leg pain associated with failed back surgery or post-laminectomy syndromeīack and leg pain secondary to herniated disc(s)Ĭomplex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS, formerly RSD) What is spinal cord stimulation used for? Once implanted, electrical impulses are sent through the wires to specific areas of your spinal cord, interrupting the pain signal. Spinal cord stimulation may be recommended by your pain specialist when other types of treatment, including medications, injections, nerve blocks, and surgery, have not been effective. It has thin wires that carry an electrical current from a battery to specific areas of your spinal cord for pain relief. If you need to reschedule this appointment, please give at least 24 hours notice and call 60.For people with chronic pain stemming from nerve injuries or multiple other medical conditions, spinal cord stimulation - also known as SCS - may offer welcome relief.Ī spinal cord stimulator is an implantable medical device placed through minimally invasive surgery.
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You may return to your normal activities the day after your procedure, including returning to work.Wear loose, comfortable clothing to your appointment.You may have sips of clear liquids up to two hours before your appointment.You must not eat any food six hours before your appointment.You should take your routine medications (i.e., blood pressure and diabetic medications) on the day of your procedure.You will be required to have a responsible adult drive you home.You will be scheduled at one of the facilities listed below, where you will be for approximately 1-1.5 hours total.If the trial succeeds, the temporary stimulator will be removed, and a permanent stimulator implantation will be scheduled with a surgeon. During the trial, which typically lasts 4-7 days, you will want to be certain that you have satisfactory pain control.
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The trial involves a procedure to place temporary spinal cord leads connected to an external battery to determine if the area of your pain will be covered by stimulation. Patients interested in the procedure will need to undergo a trial to learn if the spinal cord stimulator will effectively relieve pain. These pulses interfere with or modify the pain signals traveling along the nerves, effectively disrupting the transmission of pain messages to the brain. This compact device is surgically implanted beneath the skin and generates electrical pulses delivered through leads to the spinal cord. The cornerstone of the treatment is the Implantable Pulse Generator (IPG) or battery. Understanding the technology and the concept of blocking pain perception is pivotal in grasping the transformative impact of spinal cord stimulation. This technology involves using a small device implanted under the skin connected to leads placed near the spinal cord to modulate and alleviate persistent pain signals. Spinal cord stimulation is an innovative and advanced therapeutic approach designed to provide relief for individuals struggling with chronic pain.