Spinal Cord Stimulation

Sensory nerves located throughout your body travel to your spine and go through the spinal cord to your brain. Since spinal cord stimulation blocks nerve signals at your spine, this treatment can alleviate pain coming from anywhere in your body, including your back.

Dr. Hodgkiss may recommend spinal cord stimulation for a wide range of painful conditions, including:

• Herniated discs
• Spinal stenosis
• Cancer pain
• Joint pain
• Neuropathy
• Arthritis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Chronic leg pain or arm pain
• Peripheral vascular disease
• Multiple sclerosis

Spinal cord stimulation can also relieve angina (chest pain) and persistent pain after failed back surgery.

Spinal cord stimulators consist of three parts: a controller, a small pulse generator, and lead wires. Dr. Hodgkiss implants the generator under your skin and connects the lead wires to the generator.

Then he guides the wires through the space around your spine and places them near the nerves transmitting the pain signals. As the generator creates the electrical impulse, the leads send it into the targeted nerves.

Dr. Hodgkiss uses the controller to program the intensity and frequency of the pulses. You use the controller to turn the device on and off.

You have a seven-day trial period to determine if the stimulator relieves your pain. For the trial, Dr. Hodgkiss inserts the lead wires, but you simply wear the generator.

At the end of the week, you decide if it worked well enough to have the generator implanted, or if you want to have the lead wires removed.

You may be a good candidate if you:

• Have a successful trial period
• Have chronic pain
• Have pain that doesn’t improve with conservative treatment
• Pass a psychological evaluation
• Aren’t able or willing to have spine surgery
• Don’t have an untreated drug addiction
• Don’t wear a pacemaker

To learn more about spinal cord stimulation, call Southern Vascular & Pain Management or book an appointment online today.