Relieving Chronic Pain: How Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Can Help

Houston Pain Specialists Blog Relieving Chronic Pain: How Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Can Help
Relieving Chronic Pain: How Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Can Help

About one in five adults in the United States lives with chronic pain, or pain that carries on for several months or longer. While it can affect most any area of your body, the back, neck, knees, and shoulders are especially common. 

Whether you’re dealing with lingering pain following a motor vehicle accident, a fall, surgery, or an underlying condition, peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) provides a promising solution.

Our expert team at Houston Pain Specialists, led by board-certified pain management specialist Hui Kang, MD, offers PNS to bring you lasting relief, especially when other treatments haven’t sufficed.

Take a few moments to learn how this minimally invasive treatment can help. 

Chronic pain causes

A broad range of factors cause and worsen chronic pain. And because nerves send pain signals to your brain, they’re involved with all chronic pain in some way.

Common chronic pain causes include:

Although it’s considered rare, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) fuels chronic pain and often goes undiagnosed. CRPS can stem from auto accident injuries, heart attacks, stroke, and surgeries.

How peripheral nerve stimulation works

Peripheral nerve stimulation uses mild electrical impulses to disrupt pain signals to reduce or eliminate symptoms. 

During a minimally invasive procedure, we place a device beneath your skin near peripheral nerves in the treatment area. Once implanted, the device stays in place for as long as it’s helpful, allowing for ongoing pain control.

At Houston Pain Specialists, we use the state-of-the-art Nalu Medical PNS device, which is compact, discreet, easily programmable, and effective. You can even control it from a smartphone. 

The Nalu battery lasts for a good 18 years, and software updates are as easy as pressing a button.

PNS for chronic pain results

Pain relief from PNS unfolds quickly once you’ve received your treatment. From there, you may be able to cut back on, or no longer need, pain medication. PNS may also allow you to engage more comfortably and effectively in physical therapy. 

When PNS improves your ability to sleep well, you can reap the benefits of better moods, energy, and productivity. Quality rest also lowers inflammation in the body, guarding against additional pain.

In a study involving people with lower back pain, PNS was shown to significantly reduce pain for 67% of people for 12 months. Another study linked PNS with relief from chronic shoulder issues, like rotator cuff injuries, when more conservative treatments failed.

To find out if you’re a good candidate for peripheral nerve stimulation, contact our Houston, Texas, office today to schedule an appointment. Our team can also recommend alternative treatments, based on your overall health, needs, and preferences.

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