Spinal nerve stimulation is a treatment technique that provides relief by drowning out pain signals that are being sent from somewhere along your spine. It can be a wonderful solution to chronic back pain, especially for patients who haven’t found relief through other common treatments. But how can you know if the treatment is right for your situation? In today’s blog, we explore three signs that suggest spinal nerve stimulation may be right for you.
Is Spinal Nerve Stimulation Right For Me?
Although the following list can help serve as a general guide, the decision to move forward with a spinal nerve stimulation device will be made by you and your provider. If you believe that spinal nerve stimulation is right for you, set up an appointment with a spine specialist to learn more about how the treatment could aid your specific situation. With that said, spinal nerve stimulation may be right for you if:
- Other Treatments Are Unsuccessful – Most spine specialists won’t jump right into spinal nerve stimulation. Instead, they will have the patient pursue weeks of more common treatment options that have been shown to be effective, like activity modification, physical therapy, controlled stretching and weight loss. If you’ve pursued weeks of treatment to no avail, don’t give up. It may just be time to pivot to a different treatment. If other treatments have proven unsuccessful, you may be an ideal candidate for spinal nerve stimulation.
- Problem Rooted In A Spinal Nerve – Of course, in order for spinal nerve stimulation to be effective, your pain needs to be caused by a nerve related issue. If your discomfort is actually caused by a spinal fracture or a curvature disorder, it’s very unlikely that targeting a spinal nerve will provide you with the relief you seek. However, if a herniated disc is irritating a nerve or spinal stenosis has caused a nerve to become compressed, then drowning out the problem through nerve stimulation may prove successful.
- Significant Impairment – Finally, because the treatment involves a surgical procedure and some increased patient costs, it’s not something we typically recommend for patients dealing with minor spine issues. If discomfort or physical limitations are minor, odds are we’re going to try different conservative methods to help you manage your nerve issue. However, if you are severely limited by nerve pain or it is significantly affecting your quality of life, the treatment may be worth it in the long run. Nerve stimulation can help you get your life back, but like all surgeries, it carries some additional risks, so it’s not something we recommend to any patient with back pain. Unless you’re severely limited by nerve pain, nerve stimulation may not be the right move for you.
Let us help you determine if spinal nerve stimulation is right for your specific issue. We’re confident that we can set you up with a care plan that ensures you get the treatment you need to put back pain in the past. For more information, or for answers to questions you have about a different back or neck issue, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
