Spinal Cord Stimulation For Lower Back Pain

There has been a lot of discussion about the technology for spinal cord stimulation for lower back pain heading for a successful future in bringing relief to people suffering from lumbar injury. Spinal stimulation has been found to be more effective than physical therapy, injections, medication, and surgery according to this article. This type of therapy is growing in popularity among spinal surgeons, interventional pain physicians, and anesthesiologists. It has been tried as one of the best possible modalities towards treating for lumbar injury. The improvement of technology, techniques in surgery, and awareness among patients and physicians has made the spinal manipulation method of treatment more popular. Spinal stimulation is an outpatient procedure. It is one of the advantages of having an insight on the outcome. This method of treatment has been found to be more beneficial than fusion surgery. People having undergone multiple surgery, Scoliosis and spinal inflammation of a complex nature have been found to benefit from spinal manipulation.

Dr. Ralph Rashbaum an orthopedic spine surgeon at the Texas Back Institute, uses the new Medtronic Spinal Cord Stimulator to give leg pain relief to his patient

Spinal Cord Stimulation For Lower Back Pain

Spinal cord stimulation is a procedure that uses an electrical current to treat chronic pain

Alexander Bailey, MD, a spine surgeon at Precision Spine & Orthopaedic Specialists in Overland Park, Kan., discusses how spinal cord stimulation impacts back pain care and where the technology is headed in the future.

Q: Why should spine surgeons and specialists consider incorporating spinal cord stimulation into their practice?

Dr. Alexander Bailey: When we choose modalities to treat patients, many of them have a long history of pain and varying degrees of chronic pain. In spine surgery we tailor the treatment modalities to the problem. That can include physical therapy, medication, injections or surgery. I think that the complexity of the spine yields a variety of different options and growing trends nationwide consider spinal cord stimulation one of those modalities. I think patients are benefiting from those technologies even more than fusion surgery.

A variety of different groups are considering and growing their use of spinal cord stimulation from interventional pain physicians, spinal surgeons and anesthesiologists. We have to look for the best modality to treat patients. Sometimes even patients who have had multiple operations, scoliosis or complex pain, benefit more from a smaller operation and experience more pain relief.

Q: How is spinal cord stimulation use evolving?

AB: The growth in usage of this technology comes from a variety of different reasons, including technology has improved, surgical technique has improved and there is more awareness about it among physicians and patients. This is an alternative treatment to complex situations. The combination of all these things has led to growth of its use.

This is one technique and procedure, and it’s still evolving. Now, I’m able to use a trial implant through a percutaneous technique, so the surgery can be done in a hospital or outpatient surgery center. The procedures are all outpatient and patients typically go home the same day or the next day after a surgical lead implant.

One of the benefits of this procedure is having an insight on the outcome of my patients. This is the only technique that I get to try before the final implant, which is a benefit for me as well as the patient.

Q: Are there any other benefits you’ve noticed to spinal cord stimulation over other treatment options?

AB: I’ve been doing spinal cord stimulations for more than 10 years, and I’ve been well versed in the procedure and its ability to help patients. There has been development over the past decade that will make usage grow. We are now able to isolate and stimulate the appropriate areas of the spinal cord that optimizes pain relief. Those technologies have advanced and patients have benefited from these improvements.

The ability to capture back pain and precisely target the patient’s areas of discomfort means better patient satisfaction on the ultimate outcome.

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Spinal manipulation has been advocated as a beneficial alternative treatment for complex back pain. It has been established as an alternative for fusion surgery and with the improvement of technology and medical advances in surgery and awareness, this method of treatment has advantage over other forms of treatment for back pain. The unique approach of this type of treatment is to identify the exact areas of discomfort and the ability to bear back pain. If a small operation can bring relief for complex back pain, why not opt for spinal cord stimulation for lower back pain.

Washington pain management doctor explains procedure of implantation of spinal cord stimulation for back pain.