Neurostimulation for Chronic Pain

For individuals suffering from chronic pain that hasn’t responded to other treatments, neurostimulation can often provide relief. Neurostimulation is an interventional pain management technique that delivers electrical pulses to specific nerves or areas of the spinal cord, altering pain signals as they travel to the brain.

Types of Chronic Pain Treated with Neurostimulation

Neurostimulation can be used to successfully manage pain of the back, trunk and limbs, greatly reducing the need for pain medications and surgery. Many chronic pain injuries and conditions can benefit from neurostimulation therapy, including the following:

• Chronic back, leg and arm pain
• Neuropathic pain, such as peripheral neuropathy
• Post-surgical pain
• Failed back surgery syndrome
• Phantom limb pain
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
• Occipital neuralgia
• Chronic migraines

Types of Neurostimulation Therapy

There are different types of neurostimulation therapy depending on where the pain is located in the body.

Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) helps alleviate chronic pain in the arms, legs and back, especially as a result of failed back surgery or leg pain from nerve damage.

Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation (DRG) treats chronic pain in the lower extremities and can be an effective treatment for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) targets specific nerves away from the spinal cord, and is typically used in patients with localized nerve pain as a result of injury or trauma.

How Neurostimulation Works

During a minimally-invasive procedure, a doctor implants small leads, or neurostimulators, beneath the skin, beside the nerve or nerves responsible for the pain. These leads are attached to a battery that generates electrical pulses that override pain signals traveling to the brain and alter pain perception in the body. Once implanted, the device can be adjusted and turned on and off by the patient.

Most patients undergo a trial period with a temporary, external device to assess the effectiveness of neurostimulation before committing to a permanent implant.

Neurostimulation Limitations & Safety

Although neurostimulation is an effective treatment for chronic pain, it isn’t for everyone, and it doesn’t address the source of the pain or eliminate it completely. In some cases, the patient may feel tingling or numbness in the affected area.

For those patients who are a good candidate for neurostimulation therapy, it is a relatively safe option because it is minimally-invasive and reversible, and device-related complications are less common with the improvements in technology.

Is Neurostimulation Right for You?

Only you and your pain management specialist can determine whether neurostimulation is a good option for you. If your doctor determines you have chronic neuropathic pain and you’ve tried other forms of pain relief with little or no success, neurostimulation therapy may be the answer.

Schedule a Consultation for Neurostimulation in Newport News, VA

To learn more about neurostimulation and whether it is a good option for you, schedule a consultation with the Interventional Pain Management Specialists at Orthopaedic & Spine Center in Newport News, VA.  

Our team of pain management doctors is dedicated to the identification and treatment of chronic pain disorders, and has created the most comprehensive, holistic program for treating chronic pain in the Hampton Roads Region. Call (757) 596-1900 or request an appointment online for neurostimulation therapy in Newport News, VA.