Spine-related back pain is a problem for many people. It causes an interruption in performing even the simplest everyday tasks. These people suffer from chronic pain and struggle to find ways to successfully alleviate it. In these cases, spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain may be the answer.
SCS is one of the two types of neurostimulation therapy. It was approved for medical use in 1989 by the Food and Drug Administration. This type of neurostimulation has a success rate of between fifty and seventy percent, but not all patients will experience successful relief. Those who do have some pain relief also note an increase in their ability to move and function daily.
The term neurostimulation is often used when referring to SCS therapy, but it is actually the term used for a category that contains Peripheral Nerve Field Stimulation and SCS. These two methods involve the use of electrical currents to counteract the pain response by the brain, but they differ on how the electrical node tips on the end through the skin close to the spine. The other end of the wires are attached to a tiny generator that is inserted under the skin of the buttock or abdomen region through a small incision. Electrical currents are sent from the generator through the wires to the spinal cord and its nerves.
A remote control is used to operate the generator. It gives the patient the ability to cycle through the programmed settings and turn the system on and off. Settings are determined by the doctor based on the patient's pain, its primary location, and other needs.
There are certain conditions that are known to successfully benefit from this type of neurostimulation therapy. Patients that have previously had one or more back surgeries and still have pain are likely candidates. Chronic back pain without or including leg pain and chronic neck pain without or including arm pain may also be ideal cases. Other candidates include patients who suffer from peripheral neuropathy or vascular disease and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.
There are also some patients who would not benefit from SCS therapy. Pregnant and nursing women are at the top of the list. People with systemic infections should avoid SCS. Additionally, patients who have any type of internal cardiac equipment cannot have SCS treatment. If a patient has experienced pain or discomfort from a TENS unit or did not respond to the trial stimulation by at least fifty percent.
When the doctor has suggested SCS, a temporary system is used to determine of the therapy will be successful. The wires are placed just under the skin and the temporary generator remains outside the body. It is already programmed with several settings that are used to determine which ones are the most effective. The whole trial stimulation period lasts about a week.
SCS is one of the two types of neurostimulation therapy. It was approved for medical use in 1989 by the Food and Drug Administration. This type of neurostimulation has a success rate of between fifty and seventy percent, but not all patients will experience successful relief. Those who do have some pain relief also note an increase in their ability to move and function daily.
The term neurostimulation is often used when referring to SCS therapy, but it is actually the term used for a category that contains Peripheral Nerve Field Stimulation and SCS. These two methods involve the use of electrical currents to counteract the pain response by the brain, but they differ on how the electrical node tips on the end through the skin close to the spine. The other end of the wires are attached to a tiny generator that is inserted under the skin of the buttock or abdomen region through a small incision. Electrical currents are sent from the generator through the wires to the spinal cord and its nerves.
A remote control is used to operate the generator. It gives the patient the ability to cycle through the programmed settings and turn the system on and off. Settings are determined by the doctor based on the patient's pain, its primary location, and other needs.
There are certain conditions that are known to successfully benefit from this type of neurostimulation therapy. Patients that have previously had one or more back surgeries and still have pain are likely candidates. Chronic back pain without or including leg pain and chronic neck pain without or including arm pain may also be ideal cases. Other candidates include patients who suffer from peripheral neuropathy or vascular disease and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.
There are also some patients who would not benefit from SCS therapy. Pregnant and nursing women are at the top of the list. People with systemic infections should avoid SCS. Additionally, patients who have any type of internal cardiac equipment cannot have SCS treatment. If a patient has experienced pain or discomfort from a TENS unit or did not respond to the trial stimulation by at least fifty percent.
When the doctor has suggested SCS, a temporary system is used to determine of the therapy will be successful. The wires are placed just under the skin and the temporary generator remains outside the body. It is already programmed with several settings that are used to determine which ones are the most effective. The whole trial stimulation period lasts about a week.
About the Author:
Neil P. Hines is passionate about providing intelligent, unbiased and highly relevant medical information for people dealing with a wide range of pain conditions and related orthopedic needs, including back pain, knee pain, joint replacements, sports medicine, lumbar fusion and more. If you are interested in learning more about spinal cord doctors Bucks County he recommends that you visit his friends at St. Mary Medical Center.
