Chronic back and neck pain can put limitations on your life, especially when your body stops responding to medications. If you feel like you’ve run out of options for chronic pain relief, it’s time to learn more about spinal cord stimulation.
At New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine, our pain management specialist Jose De La Torre has years of experience helping people manage chronic pain that stems from injuries, nerve damage, or degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis.
Dr. De La Torre works closely with you to identify if a spinal cord stimulator is an appropriate treatment for pain control. He also offers ongoing guidance and medical monitoring to ensure you get the best outcome with spinal cord stimulation.
A spinal cord stimulator is a medical device comprised of a small generator connected to several lead wires. During minimally invasive surgery, your doctor implants the generator under your skin and attaches the wires to your spinal cord.
The generator sends electrical impulses out through the lead wires to disrupt pain signals and block them from traveling to your brain. You control the stimulator with an external remote, activating the device when pain occurs.
Spinal cord stimulation is shown to be effective for managing chronic pain when other therapies aren’t successful.
However, candidates for the treatment must undergo a trial period to confirm the stimulator provides expected pain relief. This means you’ll be fitted with a temporary stimulator for several weeks before committing to implant surgery.
Several conditions may qualify you for spinal cord stimulation to manage chronic pain.
Dr. De La Torre reviews your medical history, current symptoms, and previous treatments to determine if a spinal cord stimulator is an option for you. He may recommend moving forward with a trial procedure if you have chronic pain from conditions like:
The goal of using a spinal cord stimulator is to significantly reduce the frequency and severity of pain, so you can be more active, sleep better, and participate in rehabilitative therapy.
Spinal cord stimulation can also reduce your reliance on pain-relieving medications that have unwanted physical or psychological side effects.
Everyone heals at their own pace after surgery to implant a spinal cord stimulator. You can expect to limit your activities for about two weeks while your incisions heal and return to your usual schedule soon after that.
We monitor your progress after surgery and schedule routine visits to ensure your stimulator is working properly. Dr. De La Torre also evaluates your pain levels to confirm treatment is successful.
If you’re unhappy with the level of pain relief the stimulator provides or if the device isn’t functioning correctly, we can discuss your options for removal surgery.
New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine offers other pain management strategies you can use to keep chronic pain well-controlled if you have your stimulator removed or aren’t a candidate for spinal cord stimulation.
Call New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine in Wesley Chapel, Florida, today to schedule a spinal cord stimulation consultation. You can also use our online feature to book your appointment.
