07 Feb From Surgery to Relief: Everything About Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
Nerves send signals from the brain to perform various functions in your daily life. When the signals from the brain are disrupted, you may experience pain in certain body parts. This is where peripheral nerve stimulation comes in. This treatment option uses electrical impulses to help restore communication between the brain and the affected area.
The best pain management specialists now offer peripheral nerve stimulation as an alternative to surgery, relieving chronic pain without requiring invasive procedures.
Read more: The importance of pain management specialists.
Read on to learn more about peripheral nerve stimulation in detail.
Peripheral Nerve Stimulation: How Does It Work
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is a form of electrical therapy treatment for pain relief. This method can reduce chronic pain to a great extent, that happens due to nerve damage.
The PNS device uses small electrodes near the peripheral nerves that send pain signals to the brain. These electrodes send tiny electrical pulses that trigger the natural pain-inhibiting chemicals in the body, reducing pain.
The PNS device is typically implanted under local anesthesia during a minimally invasive procedure. The electrodes are placed near the affected nerve and connected to a small battery-powered generator implanted beneath the skin.
What Types of Pain Can Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Treat?
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is an innovative therapy for chronic pain. It involves implanting a small, battery-powered device that sends electrical pulses to peripheral nerves to relieve discomfort and restore functioning. PNS has been effective in treating a broad range of issues:
a) Neuropathic pain like muscle weakness and burning sensations in a particular body part is treated with PNS. These conditions are mainly caused by nerve tissue damage.
b) Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a medical condition that affects a patient’s sensory and motor aspects. PNS will help this condition by reducing abnormal sweating and skin discoloration and improving the range of motion.
c) NS can treat chronic neck pain, back pain, and headaches. The treatment provides targeted stimulation to the affected area and reduces pain.
d) PNS relieves musculoskeletal pain like fibromyalgia, rotator cuff injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, knee osteoarthritis, and chronic chest pain.
How Does the Recovery Process Work After PNS Treatment?
After the PNS treatment, patients should take around 2-4 weeks to recover completely. The doctor may advise you to take some days off from work and other regular activities. This resting period helps your body heal faster.
The treated area may appear swollen or tender for a few days. The doctor may suggest some medications to reduce the pain during recovery.
Physical therapy is an inevitable part of the recovery process after PNS treatment. The doctor may suggest this strengthen weakened muscles, improve the range of motion, and manage inflammation and swelling. Other benefits of choosing physical therapy include stimulation of the nerve pathways and faster recovery.
Contact Illinois Pain & Spine Institute for the region’s best PNS treatment. With board-certified doctors, our Chicago pain center offers the best care for its patients who suffer from chronic pain conditions.
We specialize in this minimally-invasive treatment, which blocks pain signals by stimulating the peripheral nerves outside the spinal cord. Our less invasive alternative to traditional surgery has fewer side effects and a shorter recovery time.