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Should I have the Spinal Cord Stimulator? Looking for reviews on this
I have had chronic lower back pain due to lumbar spinal stenosis for over 10-years. I have had multiple therapies and procedures done - including RFA, Epidural steroid injections, a MILD procedure, acupuncture, OT/PT and Chiropractics, as well as an Interspinous spacer and nothing has helped my pain. After all of that, the physician I saw in March's only recommendation was for me to have the Spinal cord stimulator, but I am actually afraid of this and have read that there have been numerous injuries as a result of this implant, and after reviewing the booklet and watching the video I initially felt that it was just to restrictive in terms of how you could move your body. If you have had this procedure please let me know your results. Many thanks.
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I did have a lumbar spinal fusion ten years ago and have never been the same. My pain specialist tried 10 minimally evasive surgeries and none of them took the pain away. The last one was a spinal stimulator from Boston Logistics which did not help. That's not saying that it won't work for you. I talked to two people who had it and it helped them allot.
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1 ReactionSpinal cord stimulators have lots of risks and few people benefit from them, and then not much. Please see this article about the issues and other alternatives; https://www.paintreatmentdirectory.com/posts/spinal-cord-stimulators-high-risk-low-benefit
Thanks for your response. The device is the newest in the SCS line. I’ve done some research, I’m looking for a conversation with hopefully an AS patient or a Dr who has treated such patients to compare notes with.
I came across your post today and wondering if you got the SCS appliance and how it is working out for you? My wife has chronic back generated pain post fusion that is running down her leg. Very debilitating and started a Medtronic SCS trial yesterday.
@heisenberg34 : it may be customary for SOME Pain Mgmt Drs,,,, but seems to me, anything involving the Spine/nerves, should be implanted in as clean environment as possible !
Now, any experiences here assessing devices by Medtronic, Nevro and Saluda-EVOKE SCS devices ?
It helps some. My nephew got it and got a bad infection. I met another man who has it and he swears by it.
@gregda I guess that I should have mentioned that the doctors who did my trials did so in a very clean environment. Separate from the regular exam rooms.
@heisenberg34 : glad it worked for you! Just seems to me anything dealing with minor surgery that places leads along the spinal column, needs to be extremely clean. I’ll give it more consideration, but think I’d prefer to be more in a hospital operating room.
And still need info on are there device devices that can affect the motor nerves as well as the sensory nerves?
Continue to heal well, thanks!!
@ga29 Back at ya some time later. I discovered that in many cases(like mine) that you have to keep ramping up the medication from the pain pump. It can take a significant amount to reduce your pain. This can take quite a while especially if they start at a low dose and up the dose at only ten percent intervals. Ask Google how many increases it would take to go from your starting dose to a therapeutic dose. Say, starting at 0.02 mg to 2.5 mg daily. It can be quite a few. Any way, I hope you are doing well.
@gregda My pain specialist has a surgery center in his building. They were extremely careful with implantation and cleanliness and I was sedated for the procedure. No problems. I can't imagine not having sedation and at least a clean procedure room.