From what I've read pain in the arm areas was never mentioned. My wife's pain area was never studied so she would be the first to test these devices for her pain area. Third is there probably are no studies done on other parts of the body other than that of the spinal/back and leg. Second is that there (according to a doctor) is a high re-implant rate in the first 5 years (20%) apparently to readjust the spinal implants. The newer claim to work better even though the process of implant is the same so I'm not sure why the newer claims are better. There are older and newer model devices out there. After doing much research and talking to some doctors I found the following. My wife has chronic pain and considered a spinal implant device. Whatever you decide make sure you research and ask questions of Drs and other patients who have used pain devices - good luck It was just very unfortunate that it meant I could not have an MRI which would have picked up the other deficits I was suffering from earlier. Whatever you decide make sure you research and ask questions of Drs and other patients who have used pain devices - good there is absolutely no doubt the devices had a positive outcome for pain management, especially with the damage I was left with following earlier Spinal trauma. I do remember when it was suggested we try the Nevro and I read all the info, I thought ‘I’m not sure how this is going to work because if I can’t feel is working how is it going to change the pain?’ I was was pleasantly surprised how much it did help. It really helped with nerve pain in legs/back and neuropathy in feet. Again I could increase or change the program to fit with the varied levels of pain. The Nevro gave better pain relief for me overall even though I couldn’t actually feel it. If my pain was really bad I could use the remote to increase or change to another program to seek relief and would feel it tingle faster, stronger etc. Of course over time I became semi conscious of this happening so there was no thought process about it. In terms of the two different devices the Medtronic was good in the sense that each time the cycle stopped/started I would feel it kick in. The Nevro was a high frequency one so I couldn’t feel it working. The Medtronic ones I could feel the tingling in the areas the device was programmed to focus. In terms of the different types, the two brands were very different. I can only hope that future developments in pain management come up with a similar device that is MRI compatiable because they really can be very beneficial. Jump to this there is absolutely no doubt the devices had a positive outcome for pain management, especially with the damage I was left with following earlier Spinal trauma. Please check and double check the information you’re given, I would hate anyone to have to go through what I did It’s important to remember that if you need one of these devices you probably have chronic pain and your condition may require ongoing imaging to monitor whatever condition it. Perhaps if it had been removed earlier I wouldn’t have ended up with such complex circumstances surrounding both brain and spinal surgery. My pain specialist who put the stimulator in was hesitant to remove it because it was so difficult to put in in the first place. 9 mths prior to my back surgery I had brain surgery across the other side of Australia because no radiology would do a Cranial MRI where I live. Many won’t even though some device company’s approve them. The devices were removed, MRI performed and before I knew it I was having a 6 level spinal fusion.Įven if you are told the device is MEI Compatable ring a few radiology/imaging places and ask then if they do MRI’s with pain devices. One day I lost bowel/bladder control and it suddenly became a medical emergency. Of course I didn’t know at the time but that was exactly what was happening. I’d been complaining of my back feeling like a concertina that was going to collapse at any time. I ended up having emergency surgery to have my all my devices and leads removed so I could receive treatment for severe spinal instability. I found them to be quite affective however please be very stringent in researching any kind of implanted pain device because many of them are not MRI Compatable. Hi, over the years I’ve had 3 dorsal column Stimulators (2 made by Medtronic the other by Nevro).
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