The spine is a complex organ comprising the vertebra and the spinal cord. The spine makes up the back and neck. For this reason, physicians usually examine the spine when looking for an explanation for a patient’s concerns. One of the main problems facing patients is chronic back and neck pain. Although patients can prevent these concerns by making healthier lifestyle choices, many ignore the significance of habits in developing spine problems. Luckily, specialists like Dr. Ioannis Skaribas Houston embrace spinal cord stimulation to help patients live peacefully without undergoing neck and back pain. These symptoms make it hard to be productive.
What is spinal cord stimulation?
Spinal cord stimulation is a treatment that involves delivering mild electrical stimulation to spinal nerves to interrupt pain signals from reaching the brain. Physicians usually achieve pain relief upon implanting a small electrical device under the skin near the spine pacemaker for pain that detects and inhibits pain signals.
Why should you consider spinal cord stimulation?
Spinal cord stimulation is an increasingly popular treatment for chronic back and neck pain. Some of the conditions spinal cord stimulation can potentially treat include neuropathy, failed back surgery syndrome, and arthritis. However, it is essential to seek a physician’s recommendation before undergoing spinal cord stimulation for your concerns.
There are other conservative treatments like pain-relieving medications, which are noninvasive and thus less risky of complications. For example, your physician may recommend opioids to help you cope with the pain of your condition. The disadvantage of such medications is the high rate of addiction it causes to patients. The more a patient relies on opioids for pain relief, the higher they build a tolerance to it and thus take higher doses to feel its effects. Eventually, it becomes harder to stop taking the drug, and the dependence causes withdrawal symptoms when a patient does not consume the drugs.
Another advantage of spinal cord stimulation is it allows a trial period for patients to test the device before committing to a procedure to implant it in the body permanently. The trial process is simple and painless. Your physician can easily take the lead if the treatment is not suitable for you.
Who can perform spinal cord stimulation?
Spinal cord stimulation is a delicate procedure because it involves impacting the spinal cord, a very complex and vulnerable organ. For this reason, patients should seek the help of qualified and trained personnel who have enough experience successfully implanting a spinal cord stimulator under the skin for pain relief. Physician training and expertise significantly enhance treatment predictability and guarantee patients receive desired results. Some specialists who can perform spinal cord stimulation include orthopedic spine surgeons, neurosurgeons, and anesthesiologists.
Patient education is necessary to help you understand what to expect during the procedure. For this reason, ensure you conduct enough research before undergoing spinal cord stimulation to appreciate the treatment mechanism and thus appreciate your role in promoting efficacy. Contact Expert Pain if you have any questions about spinal cord stimulation to determine if it is a potential treatment for your chronic pain.
