Peripheral Nerve Stimulation: How it works to block pain.

Advances in medicine continue to improve patients’ quality of life. One such innovation being used here at National Spine & Pain Centers is a device created to block pain signals from damaged nerves. It provides targeted pain relief to virtually any part of the body without the use of drugs or extensive surgery. A tiny injectable microchip does abig job serving as a nerve-stimulation device for the relief of ongoing back, leg, and even joint pain.

Contact National Spine & Pain Centers to schedule an appointment with an affiliated pain specialist today.

When a nerve is damaged, it basically misfires, meaning it continually sends out pain signals to the brain. Consequently, the body feels the pain because there’s nothing to stop the nerve from sending out pain signals. The body is being told there’s pain and there’s no way to shut down that damaged nerve.

Until now.

Peripheral nerve simulation essentially blocks the damaged nerve from sending out constant pain signals. The peripheral nerves are the nerves found outside of the brain and spinal cord.

Stimwave ^R is one of the devices we use at National Spine & Pain Centers to implement the treatment. There are two types of neurostimulator devices. Both the Peripheral Nerve Stimulator (PNS) and Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS) will send electrical impulses to targeted nerve locations. That stimulation stops the nerves signaling to the brain. Reduce the pain signal — reduce the pain.

The PNS System treats chronic pain by targeting individual nerves throughout your body. The SCS System is used to treat chronic pain typically associated with your back and legs.

Here's how it works. In a minimally invasive surgery, a pain management specialist will inject that tiny microchip based device that delivers small energy pulses to its electrodes near surrounding nerves. These pulses basically begin sending new messages by triggering a reaction that tells the brain to remap the pain signal. And that relieves the pain.

That little microchip measures between 2 cm. and 11 cm. and is implanted through a needle during an outpatient procedure. It’s powered wirelessly by a battery located outside the body.

We are finding the use of Stimwave reduces and even eliminates the need for pain medications and greatly improves the patients’ quality of life, which, of course, is our main goal.

If this technology sounds like something beneficial for your pain management, schedule an appointment with one of our affiliated pain specialists here at National Spine & Pain Centers.