Neuromodulation Specialist
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Innovative Pain and Spine Center
Board Certified Physician in Pain Management & in Physical Medicine located in Toluca Lake, North Hollywood, CA
Pain that originates in damaged and inflamed nerves can be excruciating, debilitating, and often fails to respond to medical therapies. Spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation, two forms of neuromodulation, are safe techniques that may significantly relieve the pain of neuropathic conditions. Matthew Root, DO, at Innovative Pain and Spine Center in the North Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, offers neuromodulation, helping patients return to a more active lifestyle. To schedule an appointment, call the office in Toluca Lake or use the online booking feature.
Neuromodulation Q & A
What are spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation?
Spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation are forms of neuromodulation that use mild electrical impulses to block or scramble nerve signals. These techniques don’t eliminate the source of your pain. Instead, they prevent pain messages from getting to your brain.
When your brain doesn’t get the messages transmitted through nerves, you won’t feel the full force of the pain. The amount of pain relief differs for each patient, but many experience a significant improvement.
What pain conditions are treated with neuromodulation?
Spinal cord stimulation treats chronic back, neck, arm, and leg pain caused by damaged and inflamed spinal nerves. Dr. Root may recommend this technique for patients with conditions such as a herniated disc, sciatica, facet joint arthritis, or spinal stenosis.
Peripheral nerve stimulation relieves pain arising from damaged nerves throughout your body, a condition called peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy can develop from a number of possible problems.
For example, injuries, medications, and health conditions such as diabetes, infections, and autoimmune disorders can all lead to painful peripheral neuropathy.
How does a spinal cord stimulator work?
Spinal cord stimulators have three parts: a generator, lead wires, and a remote controller. The remote controller is used to program the pulse strength and frequency and turn the device on and off.
Dr. Root implants the small electrical generator under your skin. Then he gently threads lead wires through the epidural space of your spine, positioning the electrodes near the spinal nerves sending pain signals. The electrodes transmit electrical impulses to the nerves.
How does peripheral nerve stimulation work?
This type of neurostimulation targets one of your peripheral nerves, which are all the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. This technique uses the same three components as spinal cord stimulation. However, Dr. Root places the electrodes along the damaged peripheral nerves.
How will I know if spinal cord or peripheral nerve stimulation is working?
Before the generator is implanted, you go through a trial period to see how well the stimulator works for you. During the trial, Dr. Root must put the lead wires in place, but you carry the generator outside your body.
After using the spinal cord or peripheral nerve stimulator for about a week, you can evaluate your pain relief and decide if you want to have the generator implanted to continue using the spinal cord stimulator or have the lead wires removed.
To learn if you can get pain relief with neuromodulation, call Innovative Pain and Spine Center or use the online booking feature.
