Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) is a type of chronic pain management that you can control whenever you need pain relief, and is available to qualifying patients at The Pain Center in San Diego. It works by addressing pain at the source of a damaged nerve.
Unlike a Spinal Cord Stimulation device, which is placed near the spinal cord, a PNS device can be placed near a peripheral nerve at the pain site. This can be useful for some patients, especially those that need targeted pain relief.
Since a Peripheral Nerve Stimulation device must be placed during a minor surgery, we first suggest patients undergo a PNS trial to ensure this type of pain relief is right for them. If you're determined to be an eligible candidate for PNS, you will undergo a testing period where an electrode is connected to an external device rather than an internal one. If the trial successfully manages your pain, you can choose to have an internal device installed.
We will recommend a PNS trial for eligible patients who cannot manage their pain using other methods. To determine if you qualify, we will test to see if an injection of local anesthetic relieves your pain. If it does, this is a positive sign that PNS may work for you, and you can move on to a PNS trial.
Candidates for PNS tend to experience chronic sacroiliac, knee, shoulder, hip, or lower back pain. PNS may be right if other pain management methods like back surgery or Spinal Cord Stimulation have failed to manage your pain.
Once the external trial with a PNS device has been successful, Dr. Thompson will clear you for installing a permanent device. A small surgery will be necessary to implant the PNS device. After the device is implanted, you will wear a small antenna in an undergarment to allow the internal receiver microchip to be controlled by you when you need it. Enjoy your newfound relief from pain!
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