If chronic pain is keeping you from your daily activities, you might be a candidate for neuromodulation. Neuromodulation isn’t just one type of treatment. Rather, it’s an umbrella term that refers to many types of neuromodulation treatments.
Our board-certified physicians at Preva Surgicare - Surgery Center Of The Woodlands offer a variety of neuromodulation treatments so that you can get the treatment that’s right for you.
If you’re new to neuromodulation, keep reading. In this article, we discuss what it is and how it can help you get the relief you need.
Neuromodulation devices act directly upon your nerves and are often used to help provide relief from chronic pain. Depending on the type of technology being used, electrical impulses or other agents modulate (alter) the nerve, hence the name neuromodulation.
Types of neuromodulation include:
Our experienced providers at Preva Surgicare - Surgery Center of The Woodlands use neuromodulation, such as spinal cord stimulation, to relieve pain by harnessing the power of mild electrical impulses. Each electrical impulse interrupts your nerve’s ability to send a pain message to your pain. Neuromodulation won’t treat any underlying condition, but it does reduce pain by reducing the pain signals.
Although the details vary from device to device, neuromodulation works under the same principles: specific nerves are stimulated to block pain signals.
To illustrate, let’s take a look at how spinal cord stimulation works. Once you’re sedated and comfortable with anesthesia, we use a fluoroscopy (a type of x-ray that produces live, moving images) to guide a hollow needle into your epidural space. This hollow needle contains leads (which are thin, insulated wires.) and electrical contacts.
Next, a small generator is implanted, potentially in your abdomen, upper buttocks, or chest. The generator, which can be operated with a wireless remote control, creates the electrical impulses that target your nerve. The generator and the leads are connected. Once the electrodes and leads are properly placed, you’ll begin to experience pain relief.
This is a non-drug long-term pain relief option, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Other benefits of neuromodulation include:
The spinal cord stimulation is performed as a minimally invasive procedure and is completely reversible.
Neuromodulation is safe and reversible, but you’ll first undergo a week-long trial period to make sure this is the right therapy for you. There are many conditions that can benefit from the pain relief of neuromodulation. You might benefit from neuromodulation if you have unmanaged pain from arthritis, fibromyalgia, herniated discs, lumbar radiculopathy, degenerative disc disease, or spinal stenosis.
Neuromodulation can also help alleviate cancer pain that is unresponsive to medication.
If you’re living with chronic pain, schedule your appointment and find out if neuromodulation is right for you. You can reach us at 281-377-3706 or via our online scheduling tool.
