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When Is It Time To Consider Spinal Cord Stimulation for My Chronic Back Pain?
Chronic back pain raises your risk for a range of problems, from anxiety and depression to an inability to exercise, sleep, socialize, or work normally. If your back pain has lasted for at least three months and keeps you from leading a full or satisfying life, you may be a candidate for spinal cord stimulation.
Our expert team at Houston Pain Specialists, led by board-certified pain management specialist Hui Kang, MD, provides spinal cord stimulation as a drug-free, minimally invasive path to lasting pain relief.
Take a few moments to learn more about this advanced treatment, including signs it’s time to consider it.
How spinal cord stimulation works
Spinal cord stimulation delivers a mild electrical current to nerves in your spine through an electrode connected to an implanted device. The current blocks pain signals associated with nerve damage, leading to targeted relief that lasts.
You control the level of stimulation, using a remote control, and can turn the stimulator off at any time.
Back pain conditions we treat with spinal cord stimulation include:
- Arthritis
- Painful nerve damage
- Chronic sciatica
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
- Failed back surgery syndrome
Spinal cord stimulation starts with a trial to make sure the treatment works well for you. During the trial, which lasts for up to seven days, you use a hand-held device rather than an implanted one. If your pain improves by at least 50%, the trial is considered successful.
When to consider spinal cord stimulation
If you have a chronic pain condition that hasn’t responded sufficiently to more conservative treatment, such as physical therapy, rest, and pain medication, you may want to consider spinal cord stimulation.
Spinal cord stimulation may also be a good option if you’d like to avoid surgery, can’t have surgery due to other health conditions, or wish to rely less on pain medication.
We may advise against spinal cord stimulation if you have a bleeding disorder, infection, or severe malformation of your spine. Having a pacemaker or being pregnant may also disqualify you.
Getting started
The best way to determine if it’s time to consider spinal cord stimulation is by meeting with Dr. Kang. Through a comprehensive exam and discussion of your symptoms and medical history, he can recommend your ideal pain management plan.
In addition to spinal cord stimulation, we offer other noninvasive treatments, such as epidural steroid injections, peripheral nerve stimulation, and spinal decompression. We may also recommend lifestyle changes and physical therapy.
To learn more about spinal cord stimulation or get personalized guidance for pain relief, contact our Houston, Texas, office today to schedule an appointment.
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