Are you suffering from chronic back pain and spinal cord problems? Have you been therapeutically immune to the treatments you’ve taken for the same? If yes, spinal cord stimulation is what you need. A spinal cord stimulator is a device that is surgically implemented in your body to relieve you of back pain and spinal problems. A therapy that is very similar to that of a pacemaker, spinal cord stimulation delivers electronic pulses to the spinal cord, masking the pain signals even before they reach the brain.
Components of a spinal cord stimulator
There are different models available in the market; however, all of them have three parts in common:
- A pulse generator with a battery that generates electric signals
- A lead wire along with electrodes that transports the signals to the spinal cord
- A handy remote control that is used to turn the device on and off
How the device works
A spinal cord stimulator does not completely cure you of the pain felt; it just interferes or obstructs the path of the pain signals by masking them with the signals from a pulse generator. Usually, the pain is replaced by a tickling sensation, which may vary from person to person depending on the severity of the pain. Therefore, before the person is finally operated upon, some trial and error experiments are performed on the patient, and the response to the therapy is recorded, which, if positive, is permanently implanted in the body. Because of the technique, around 50 to 70% of the pain felt is reduced.
Results of the surgery
If performed accurately, the spinal pain is reduced by at least half. It is notable that the surgery is reversible, meaning you can remove the implanted spinal cord stimulator if you feel uncomfortable with its use. Anytime you wish, the electric wires and the generator can be removed.
In case all the therapies you’ve taken have failed to give you the desired outcomes, it is high time you considered implanting a spinal cord stimulator in your body.