Spinal Cord Stimulator

[Guest guest]

As often as I read the posts in this group, I have never felt it more

important to ask for advice than I do right now. My aunt, who is 66

years of age, has had excrutiating neck and upper spinal cord pain for

several years. Treatment has ranged from physical therapy, massage

therapy, steroid injections, pain medication and fentanyl patch. Her

doctors are now recommending a spinal cord stimulator. Sounds like a

small devise implanted in the upper spinal cord to somehow relieve the

pain? If anyone has had this proceedure or know of someone that has and

the results, I would love to be able to pass on the information to her.

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy, has she tried acupuncture? It might help, and certainly can't

hurt. Anna

 

 

 

 

 

Anna White Ferraraccio, MA, LMT

Anthony L. Ferraraccio, LMT

 

Pipestem Bath, Spa, Massage and Healing Center

HC 78, Box 46A, Pipestem Road

Pipestem, West Virginia, 25979

(304) 466 -1767_PipestemSpa.com_ (http://pipestemspa.com/)

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Take your aunt to a good chiropractor.  They  can manipulate the spine and teach

your aunt movements that will " spread " lubrication in the spine.    One such

movement  is swing your arms when you walk.  If you touch your nape while doing

this, you will feel that the spine moves all the way to the base of your head,

and as you move the spinal fluid is distributed all over your spine.  She can

also take Qi Gong exercises for seniors, which i do and it is conducted by a

chiro.

 

Melly

 

 

[Guest guest]

Your timing is perfect. My husband just got done with a spinal cord

stimulator trial for his intractable lower spine pain. He has had 2

back surgeries and was scheduled for a third. He is on major pain

medication and the pain has been getting to the point that even that

doesn't help - or it leaves him totally unable to function. He had the

spinal stimulator put in last Thursday and the trial ended this

morning. He wants the permanent one put in as soon as possible.

 

The device is just what you said - it consists of two wire " leads "

which are inserted into the epidural space (the space that contains the

spinal fluid and surrounds the spinal cord). At certain places on the

wires, there is no " insulation " so electrical impulses are conducted

through those places. The impulses create a tingling sensation very

much like a TENS unit or the electrical stim that you get at the

chiropractor's to relax your muscles. The tingling can replace the

pain. When the permanent unit is put in, there is a transmitter device

with a battery attached (unless you get the rechargeable unit) that is

implanted under the skin in the fat pads of the hip (although this may

be a different place for your aunt).

The trial allows the patient to try out the stimulator to see if it

works for him/her. It doesn't work for everyone. Some people find the

tingling more annoying than relieving. There is the risk of

infection. It took my husband a couple of days to get used to the

stimulator, as it required adjusting of the strength of the stimulation

with every positional change. For example, when he sat down, the

stimulator needed to be turned down; when he stood up, it needed to be

turned up because there was less pressure on his spinal cord. When he

laid down, it had to be the lowest.

After the trial, the stimulator is removed (they just take the leads

out). The transmitter isn't implanted until the device is made

permanent, so it's attached by wires to the leads, and hangs on your

belt or stays in your pocket.

My husband's pain is in his lower back and legs, so the placement of

the leads was from the T8 vertebra down. Your aunt's would obviously

be much higher in the spine. Today my husband said it reduced and/or

eliminated his pain across his lower back and down both legs. And

believe me, that is MAJOR for him!! He actually took a walk on Sunday

for the first time in a year or so because he has been in such pain

that he couldn't walk much at all.

There is no guarantee it would work, but after my husband's trial, I

think it's worth a try.

Jill

 

 

 

 

 

, " kathyvingoe "

<kathyvingoe wrote:

>

> As often as I read the posts in this group, I have never felt it more

> important to ask for advice than I do right now. My aunt, who is 66

> years of age, has had excrutiating neck and upper spinal cord pain

for

> several years. Treatment has ranged from physical therapy, massage

> therapy, steroid injections, pain medication and fentanyl patch. Her

> doctors are now recommending a spinal cord stimulator. Sounds like a

> small devise implanted in the upper spinal cord to somehow relieve

the

> pain? If anyone has had this proceedure or know of someone that has

and

> the results, I would love to be able to pass on the information to

her.

>