Spinal cord stimulation is a procedure that may help alleviate chronic pain by stimulating the spinal cord. This procedure can significantly impact the level of pain patients feel and their quality of life for the better. This article will discuss what to expect during the spinal cord stimulation procedure in Houston, TX, and some of the risks associated with this procedure.
What Is A Spinal Cord Stimulator?
A spinal cord stimulator is used to help reduce chronic pain in specific individuals. A neurosurgeon can install it, and it is often the last resort for people who are suffering from severe spinal injury or spinal disease.
The spinal nerves carry messages between your brain and other parts of the body, so if there's an injury to one of those nerves, you might experience loss of feeling or weakness in the affected area.
A spinal cord stimulator helps reduce pain signals traveling through those nerves by sending out tiny pulses of energy that interrupt their transmission at intervals that can be set according to your needs.
How Is A Spinal Cord Stimulator Implanted?
The surgery can take up to two hours to complete, and it includes the placement of the pulse generator underneath the skin and the lead in the spine's epidural space. Patients are active participants of this surgery and will help the doctor determine if the stimulators are accurately helping with their pain. Dr. Nilesh Kotecha will run through multiple scenarios to ensure patients are getting the best pain relief possible.
Following the surgery, patients will have to restrict themselves from lifting heavy objects over five pounds, twisting, bending, or pulling items, sleeping on their stomachs, or raising their elbows above their head for the first four to six weeks.
Does A Spinal Cord Stimulator Eliminate Pain?
A spinal cord stimulator does not eliminate pain, but it can reduce the intensity of a person's symptoms and help them manage their chronic pain. The device will send out pulses designed to interrupt or block incoming messages from traveling along the spinal nerves.
The surgery is usually effective in reducing chronic back and neck pain and pain from spinal cord injuries. However, it is not without risks, and it can have side effects like infection or damage to the spinal cord due to being too close to sensitive tissue during surgery.
Is A Spinal Cord Stimulator Right For Me?
If you have experienced spinal cord injury or spinal disease, and your pain has not improved with other treatments, then spinal cord stimulation may be for you. After spinal cord stimulation, most people experience a significant reduction in chronic back and neck pain and symptoms from spinal cord injuries, including loss of feeling or weakness in the affected area.
If you're interested in learning more, you'll want to find a neurosurgeon in Texas who can give you a proper consultation; we are what you are looking for.
Dr. Nilesh Kotecha will be able to determine if a spinal cord stimulation procedure is correct for you.
If all this sounds like it might be worthwhile for you, contact our neurosurgeon today by clicking here.