Millions of Americans live with chronic pain, limiting their activity levels and overall quality of life. Managing chronic pain has been an ongoing process in medicine with new developments helping patients live better, more active lives.
Spinal cord stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation are techniques that are less invasive and risky than surgery and can help patients manage chronic pain.
About Chronic Pain
Chronic pain lasts longer than it should after an injury or onset of a condition. Acute pain serves the important role of notifying you of an injury or other problem in the body. Chronic pain continues after this signal is no longer needed.
Chronic pain is complicated and not fully understood, but millions of people live with it. It contributes to depression, weight gain, overuse of medication, and other health issues.
What Is Nerve Stimulation?
Peripheral nerve and spinal cord stimulation are technologies that use low levels of electricity to stimulate nerves and interfere with the body’s pain signals. The stimulation is so small that it can be used without patient’s even feeling the sensation.
Spinal stimulation acts on the spinal cord, which is part of the central nervous system. A peripheral nerve stimulator acts on the peripheral nerve, any of the nerves that branch away from the spinal cord and travel to other parts of the body.
Patients need to understand that nerve stimulation technology is not a cure for pain. It is a tool for managing chronic pain. Potential benefits include relief from pain, increased activity levels, improved mood and mental health, and less reliance on pain medications.
EmergeOrtho-Foothills Region’s Dr. McRary explains how he uses nerve stimulation to help patients in this short video:
How Do Nerve Stimulators Work?
A nerve stimulator is an implantable device that can be placed next to the spine or a peripheral nerve to stimulate it. Regardless of the underlying cause, you experience pain when nerves send a signal of pain to the brain. The stimulation from the device disrupts these signals to lessen or stop the sensation of pain.
Spinal cord stimulation typically begins with a trial period, in which electrodes are placed near the spine and controlled by an external device. The patient reports on if and how much the stimulation helps their pain. The physician can then determine if the patient is a good candidate for permanent surgical placement of a device. The patient controls the implanted device with a remote control.
Peripheral nerve stimulation is similar, but the device is implanted wherever the affected nerves are located. This also includes a trial period followed by a permanent device, if appropriate.
What Can Nerve and Spinal Cord Stimulation Treat?
Nerve stimulation devices are not the first-line treatment. They are only considered when other conservative treatments fail to provide adequate relief. It can treat many types of chronic pain:
- Back pain
- Postsurgical pain
- Sciatica
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Postamputation pain
Am I a Good Candidate for Nerve Stimulation Treatment?
In addition to the type and duration of chronic pain, many other factors are important in determining who is a good candidate for the treatment. A doctor will consider how you have responded to other pain treatments and how much the pain impacts your life.
Another factor to consider is that maintaining an implanted device is a significant responsibility. Patients must be prepared to manage all aspects of living with it, such as follow-up appointments, charging the device, and wound management. Those who cannot be so active in their care may not be good candidates for nerve stimulation.
What Are the Side Effects of Nerve Stimulation?
Nerve stimulators are less invasive than many types of surgery but more invasive than pain injections and other conservative pain treatments. Although minimally invasive, placement of a stimulator in the spine is still a surgical procedure with risks of infection. Although patients generally go home the same day, you will need a couple of weeks to heal and recover.
Some of the complications that may occur with an implanted device include:
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Migration of the device
- Damage to the device, such as after a fall
- A puncture that causes spinal fluid leakage
- Trauma to the spinal cord (very rare)
Most of the risks and side effects are related to the procedure and the device. The electrical stimulation itself does not typically cause any issues, although some people report tingling or numbness. A nerve stimulator is described as permanent, but it can be removed with minimal risks.
If you are interested in learning more about getting a nerve stimulator for back pain or other types of chronic pain, reach out to one of our interventional pain management specialists at EmergeOrtho-Foothills Region. Contact us to request an appointment for an evaluation.
