Peripheral Nerve Stimulation | Why PNS is a Game-Changer in Chronic Pain Management
Chronic pain can permeate every aspect of life and become debilitating for even the most resilient individuals. While traditional pain management relies heavily on pills and injections for comfort relief, their limitations often preclude effective solutions such as Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS). PNS offers an innovative alternative solution that goes beyond conventional approaches by stimulating peripheral nerves directly – offering relief beyond conventional approaches’ limits.
Traditional pain management approaches, such as oral medications and injections, tend to provide only short-term relief, such as oral medication dosage adjustments or changes. Over time, medication effectiveness may diminish, necessitating dosage adjustments or prescription modifications; additionally, many painkillers come with side effects ranging from fatigue and dizziness to more serious side effects that compromise an individual’s well-being.
The opioid crisis has brought into focus the dangers associated with long-term use of certain pain medications. Dependency and addiction present significant obstacles, leaving patients not only to manage pain effectively but also to confront withdrawal and rehabilitation processes. Pills and injections may provide temporary relief of certain kinds of pain; however, they often fall short when applied to more complicated issues, like nerve damage-induced neuropathic discomfort. Chronic nerve injuries, sciatica, or certain back disorders often remain even with traditional therapies – leading to patients searching for personalized solutions to address them more directly.
Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) represents a revolutionary breakthrough in chronic pain management. While traditional approaches solely aim at masking symptoms, PNS takes an all-inclusive approach by directly impacting how pain signals are processed within our nervous systems. PNS employs electrical impulses to modulate pain signals along peripheral nerves and address them directly at its source. By targeting affected nerves with carefully calibrated electrical currents, PNS disrupts spinal cord processing of pain signals that would otherwise remain undetected.
Scientific studies have established the effectiveness of PNS therapy for managing various kinds of pain, from acute postoperative discomfort to more persistent conditions like neuropathies. PNS may help reduce dependency on pain medications for individuals who have only found partial relief with pills or have experienced side effects from them.
PNS allows for more tailored approaches to pain management. Board-certified Physical Medicine and Rehab/Interventional Pain Management Specialist Dr. Ilana Etelzon emphasizes the significance of creating customized plans tailored specifically to each patient’s unique requirements – which may prove particularly effective for individuals whose conditions do not respond sufficiently to traditional therapies.
The journey towards PNS starts with an initial consultation with Dr. Ilana Etelzon. Utilizing her extensive expertise, Dr. Etelzon assesses your medical history and pain condition – this step is key in determining if PNS would be suitable as an option for you as an individual. After an effective consultation, a temporary PNS device may be implanted for three to five days as part of an evaluation period ranging from three to five days for trial purposes. This allows patients to experience and evaluate its efficacy at managing pain; activities previously hindered by discomfort can resume as the pain subsides – providing valuable insights into potential benefits from the permanent implant.
If the trial period proves successful, the next step involves permanently implanting the PNS device. This minimally invasive surgery, typically undertaken under local anesthesia with mild sedation, involves inserting leads guided to target nerves via fluoroscopy before implanting a pulse generator that generates electrical impulses under your skin – the entire procedure typically takes one or two hours with subsequent monitoring periods and home care instructions following thereafter.
Recovery times vary for PNS implants; studies show that most patients can resume normal activities within several weeks after having one inserted. With improvements in comfort and mobility, recovery marks a distinct departure from chronic pain management.
Scientific evidence clearly supports the efficacy of implantable nerve stimulators (INSs), particularly for managing chronic pain. Studies have proven positive outcomes in various conditions – chronic post-amputation pain management, as well as general chronic pain relief. PNS is recognized by many healthcare practitioners and clinical studies alike to offer lasting relief to their clients.
Are you in chronic pain? Peripheral Nerve Stimulation can be just what you are looking for. At Pain Doctor NY, Dr. Ilana Etelzon offers personalized care with PNS to provide a transformative solution for those navigating chronic pain. Call 718.682.3686 to book a consultation to see if Peripheral Nerve Stimulation is right for you!
