Chronic pain can impact a significant part of how you live, and things are more challenging when you have tried different treatments, but nothing seems to help. However, it is possible to create and manage pain using cutting-edge medical technology. A spinal cord stimulator in Greenville may be the solution.
A spinal cord stimulator is an implantable device that can help you experience long-term pain relief. It works by interrupting the pain or disrupting the communication cycle between the pain nerve running from your spinal cord to the brain, stopping pain signals. Stimulating the spinal cord with electrical impulses can improve a patient’s overall quality of life while reducing their need for pain medication.
At Injury Medicine, we provide advanced pain care and management in Greenville to help address different conditions that cause your body pain. We are confident that a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) can provide a solution where other treatments and therapy options have failed.
Call us today at 864-866-PAIN to know more about spinal cord stimulators in Greenville, SC.
What Is a Spinal Cord Stimulator, and How Does it Work?
Your body has a vast network of nerves in constant communication with the brain. They are tasked with signaling the brain when you experience pain and other physical feelings. Hence, your brain informs the body how to react to pain, and things can be unbearable when dealing with chronic aches.
Spinal cord stimulators are unique implants consisting of electrodes (thin wires) and a tiny battery pack. The stimulator (SCS) is designed to help treat and manage chronic pain. A surgeon implants the device in your back, placing the SCS electrodes between the spinal cord and epidural space of the vertebrae.
The battery pack powering the stimulator is placed under the skin. Once the SCS is implanted, a patient is handed a remote that gives them complete control of dealing with pain by intercepting the electrical pain impulses nerves send to the brain.
While the technology behind the spinal cord stimulator is relatively new, and experts in medicine advancement tech are yet to fully understand how it works, they know it might target different muscle groups or alter how the brain perceives pain, all that altered directly from the spine. The spinal cord stimulator chances the pain sensation with a light tingle that some people might not feel.
What Is a Spinal Cord Stimulator Used for?
SCS is a pain care and management solution offered to patients after undergoing nonsurgical treatment that did not provide relief. At Injury Medicine, our highly trained and experienced surgeons and physicians can suggest this technology to treat and manage various chronic pain conditions such as:
- Post-surgical pain.
- Chronic back pain.
- Angina (heart pain that cannot be treated using other options).
- Amputation pain.
- Nerve-related pain.
- Complex regional pain syndrome.
- Chronic headaches linked to arachnoiditis.
- Visceral abdominal pain and perineal pain.
- Peripheral vascular disease.
We are confident that spinal cord stimulation can help significantly improve your quality of life after struggling with chronic pain. It can lessen your dependence on pain medication and even help you sleep better. We recommend this treatment option coupled with comprehensive therapy sessions and relaxation techniques to achieve a holistic solution to your medical condition.
Who Should Get Spinal Cord Stimulator Treatment?
When you come to us for a spinal cord stimulator in Greenville, South Carolina, our doctors will start examining you to understand the nature of your condition, which is essential in determining if spinal cord stimulation is right for you.
Our experienced pain specialists will rely on data from psychological screening, imaging tests, and other exams to make this recommendation. We also will take you through what the procedure entails, the benefits, the possible changes to expect, and the cost implications.
At Injury Medicine, we know that every patient is different; some people qualify for SCS treatment, and others don’t. Individuals who can benefit from SCS are:
- Patients who have not endured chronic pain even after undergoing less-invasive surgeries or therapy treatments for their condition.
- Patients without psychiatric disorders that can lower the procedure’s effectiveness.
Please note that failure to qualify for the spinal cord stimulator treatment is not the end. Out pain specialists will consider all other factors to help develop a personalized pain care and management program that can ease things for you.
Is a Spinal Cord Stimulator Safe to Use?
A lot is yet to be understood about spinal cord stimulation, but it is a medicinal tech that continues to evolve. Studies, though limited, say the treatment is an effective pain relief solution for many patients. Spinal cord stimulation has proven to effectively treat complex regional pain syndrome, post-surgical pain, and nerve-related pain disorders.
If you have undergone procedures to help you manage pain or offer relief but have seen no sufficient change, getting a spinal cord stimulator could be your best bet. Get in touch with us at 864-866-PAIN to book your appointment with our pain care specialists to know more about the benefits and potential drawbacks of having the SCS procedure.
What Are Risks Associated With a Spinal Cord Stimulator?
No surgical procedure is without risk. But even with that said, spinal cord stimulation treatment complications are rare. And in keeping with our professional code of ethics and recognized protocols in the medical fraternity, our highly trained physicians will take you through the possible risk of this treatment.
Although we have seen different people experience significant improvements in their pain symptoms and overall quality of life, we know every patient’s case is different. Therefore, we shall take the time to discuss the risks, including:
- Bleeding.
- Possible infection within 2-8 weeks after the surgery.
- The implant migrating from its original location causing it to be ineffective in blocking pain.
- Damage to the SCS device during a fall or intense activity that breaks the implant.
- Spinal cord trauma attributed to nerve injury (an exceptionally rare occurrence).
- Dural puncture that causes the cerebrospinal fluid to leak, leading to severe headaches.
Please note that the associated risks of spinal cord stimulation treatment are rare. Moreover, the benefits of the SCS procedure surpass the benefits, which include:
Significant improvement in your chronic pain.
- Reduced dependency on pain medications.
- Easily adjustable to accommodate your daily activities.
- Improve ability to enjoy mundane activities.
- It is a reversible treatment.
Find Relief With a Spinal Cord Stimulator in Greenville!
Sometimes pain can be momentary, lasting a few minutes, hours, or days. In other cases, pain can linger, becoming a chronic condition that lasts for months. Chronic pain can impact a significant part of how you live, and things are more challenging when you have tried different treatments, but nothing seems to help.
At Injury Medicine, we have cutting-edge medical technology and treatment programs that can provide the answers to seek for your chronic pain.
We are a reputable medical facility providing advanced pain care and management to help address different conditions. Spinal cord stimulation is an effective pain treatment and management solution that we can offer to help you experience long-term pain relief.
We are confident that SCS can provide a solution where other treatment and therapy options have failed. Call us today at 864-866-PAIN to know more about spinal cord stimulators in Greenville, South Carolina.
