The openings in the spinal canal where the nerve roots exit are called neuroforamen. The nerve roots exit the spinal canal between the vertebrae. The intervertebral discs cushion the spine and allow it to be flexible. In between the vertebrae are intervertebral discs. Inside the dura, the spinal cord is bathed by cerebral spinal fluid that cushions and protects the fragile nerve tissue. Inside the spinal canal, a watertight sac called the dura covers the spinal cord. The spinal cord runs through the spinal canal from the brain to the lower spine. The spinal cord is a tube of nerve cells that create the motor and sensory pathways that link the brain to the body. When the vertebrae are stacked one on top of the other, these rings of bone create a hollow tube called the spinal canal. Each vertebra is comprised of a ring of bone that encases and protects the spinal cord. The spine is made up of 24 bones called vertebrae that stack on top of one another. what Rocky Mountain Therapy Services approach to rehabilitation is.what the spinal cord stimulator looks like.The goal of the spinal cord stimulator is to allow you to be more active, have less pain, and take less pain medication. The spinal cord stimulator will not cure your pain, but you should see a reduction in your pain of 50 percent or more if the stimulator procedure is successful. The area of medical science responsible for developing these devices is called neuromodulation. These devices have been in use for the treatment of pain for over 30 years and they continue to improve.
Welcome to Rocky Mountain Therapy Services guide to spinal cord stimulators.Ī spinal cord stimulator, also called a dorsal column stimulator, is an implanted electronic device used to help treat chronic pain. If after about a week, the trial stimulation is effective in alleviating pain symptoms, a more permanent implantation of the lead wires and generator occurs.Physical Therapy in our clinic for Pain Care The patient tracks the effectiveness of the different settings. The patient can then use the generator to apply low-level stimulation to the area.Electrodes are inserted and wires are attached to an external stimulator.Using fluoroscopic imaging, the surgeon inserts an epidural needle close to the spinal cords. A local anesthetic applied to the skin on the lower back.If surgical treatments have not been successful or are not an available alternative to treat the underlying cause of your condition, dorsal column stimulation may be your best option for your chronic back or limb pain.īefore the battery-operated generator is implanted under the skin of the abdomen or buttocks, the neurostimulator is tested to verify that it does significantly reduce pain and to determine which stimulation settings work best. DCS does not cure the underlying condition causing the pain, but the neurostimulation provides a low frequency that excites the neurons and impairs their ability to send pain messages to the brain.ĭorsal Column Stimulation Treatments at NSPC Spinal Cord Injury - an incomplete spinal cord injury may cause chronic painĭorsal column stimulation (DCS) is only recommended after more conservative treatments such as physical therapy, medication and injections have failed to alleviate the pain.Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - prolonged pain usually in a limb with changes to the skin and swelling.Spinal Stenosis - a narrowing of the spinal canal.Failed Back Syndrome - chronic pain after back surgery.Peripheral Neuropathy - damage or diseases that cause pain along the nerve pathway.Sciatica - if surgery is not an option for the treatment of the pain, numbness or tingling sensations down the leg from an impinged nerve, dorsal column stimulation may be recommended.Postherpetic Neuralgia - continued nerve pain after a shingles episode.Phantom Limb Pain - pain messages continue to be received by the brain even though the limb (or other body part such as eye, breast or teeth) is no longer there.Chronic Pain - ongoing pain that is not alleviated with other treatments.This FDA-approved procedure is used to treat a variety of chronic back pain conditions: What Conditions Does Dorsal Column Stimulation Treat?