Spinal Cord Stimulation in Rancho Mirage
Minimally invasive pain relief treatment
What is Spinal Cord Stimulation?
At Desert Pain Specialists we offer spinal cord stimulation therapy to effectively reduce your chronic pain. Spinal cord stimulation therapy blocks pain signals from reaching your brain by sending electrical pulses to your spine through a small device known as a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) device. This SCS device is placed under your skin to mask chronic pain from your brain. This has proven to be a safe, effective, and reversible pain management option for our patients.
Benefits of Spinal Cord Stimulation
- Customizable and controllable stimulation settings for pain relief
- Reduced need for opioid medications along with their side effects
- Minimally invasive pain treatment option that is reversible
- Targeted pain relief for chronic pain that is difficult to manage
- Long-term option for continued pain management treatment
- Improved quality of life by significantly reducing chronic pain
Candidates for Spinal Cord Stimulation
You could qualify for spinal cord stimulation if you have been suffering from chronic neck, back, leg, and arm pain. Candidates also could have pain from spinal cord injuries, failed back surgery syndrome, and heart pain. You are also a likely candidate if other conservative treatment options have not successfully offered you pain relief.
Spinal Cord Stimulation Therapy
Consultation
You will first have to meet with Dr. Lai who will perform a comprehensive consultation to determine if this spinal cord stimulation therapy is a good option for you. This consultation will consist of a physical exam of your area of concern and a review of your medical history. If all goes accordingly then Dr. Lai will create a personalized spinal cord stimulation treatment plan for you and educate you on the treatment and recovery process.
Trial Procedure
To further ensure your candidacy for spinal cord stimulation therapy, you will go through a rather straightforward trial procedure that only lasts for a week. For this trial procedure, you will be put under mild sedation for your comfort. Then Dr. Lai will carefully place and connect electrode wires to a temporary external spinal cord stimulator. Dr. Lai will use his expertise to customize this external spinal stimulator’s programming based on the strength of your pain. Once the trial procedure has been proven to be a success, you will be scheduled for the actual implant procedure
Procedure
In preparation for the procedure for spinal cord stimulation therapy, you will first be put under light sedation. Dr. Lai will then make small incisions so that he can insert the wires and spinal cord stimulator. He will expertly insert the wires within the spinal cord and then insert the spinal cord stimulator right above the buttocks beneath your skin. You will then receive your own personal external controller to be able to manage your chronic pain relief.
Recovery for Spinal Cord Stimulation
For monitoring purposes, you will be asked to stay immediately following the spinal cord stimulation treatment. During this time, Dr. Lai will adjust and program the spinal cord stimulator based on your personal pain relief needs and then will spend time educating you on how to use it. Although recovery takes around six to eight weeks, you can most likely return to light activities only three weeks after the procedure. Dr. Lai will then meet with you at the following appointment in order to monitor your recovery. Here you can ask him any questions or concerns you may be having from your spinal cord stimulation therapy.
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