Spinal Cord Stimulation With Pain Management

What is spinal cord stimulation?

Spinal cord stimulation is a specialized device that is used to stimulate your spinal cord and your associated nerves using small electrical impulses sent from a small electrical wire that is placed outside of the spinal cord. This wire will have four to eight electrodes which are evenly spaced and generate an electrical field.

Who qualifies for spinal cord stimulation?

Patients who suffer from chronic to severe neuropathic pain, who have exercised all other conservative treatments with no results, might benefit from spinal cord stimulation at a pain clinic Chicago. Neuropathic pain is the result of damaged nerve tissue. This might include diabetic neuropathy, radiculopathy, or reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

What does spinal cord stimulation do?

Spinal cord stimulation will generate low level electrical fields which are designed to interrupt the nerve pain signals being sent to the brain.

What is difference between this and a permanent implantation?

Spinal Cord Stimulator TrialPatients who have tried multiple treatment options with no benefits might try spinal cord stimulation for a trial period. This offers a temporary solution before turning a permanent device. This temporary solution, provided by back pain specialists in Chicago, allows patients the opportunity to experience the stimulation without an invasive and permanent procedure. If the spinal cord stimulation is effective, additional measures can be taken at a later date, including the placement of a permanent device under the skin at a later date.

How can you tell if the spinal cord stimulation trial is successful?

Patients who have undergone a trial will have a good sense of success when it is over. Many patients who are unsure of whether it was helpful will not turn to a permanent stimulator.

Typically your back pain specialist in Chicago will look for a decrease in your need for pain medication, an increase in your activity tolerance, or both.

How long does the spinal cord stimulation trial placement require?

The trial placement will take between fifteen minutes and one hour to place the trial wire.

How long does the permanent implantation require?

The permanent placement of a wire will take between forty five minutes and two hours.

How is the trial lead performed?

When you opt for a spinal cord stimulation trial, you will be monitored using an oxygen monitoring device, a blood pressure cuff, and an EKG at a pain clinic Chicago. The procedure is done under sterile medical conditions and you will lie on your belly for it. The temporary electrodes are placed properly and an electrical current is generated. The position will be adjusted as necessary using an x-ray and the electrodes will be inserted using a needle.

Will it hurt?

spinal cord stimulator placementThe procedure will hurt a bit which is why local anesthetics are provided to the area and in many cases patients opt for sedation.

After the procedure you will need a ride home if you opted for sedation. The process is an outpatient procedure though, which means you do not have to stay overnight in the hospital unless there are complications. You are advised to avoid twisting or bending your spine for the first few days after the procedure.

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