Neurostimulation
- SWPaDon
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The pain management place I'm going to, wants me to consider the Medtronics neurostimulator. I'm not crazy about having probes surgically implanted in my back for pain relief. They said I would need 2 of the devices as I have problems in my upper and lower back. That of course would be 2 operations, with 4 probes total being inserted into my spine.
Pain isn't the only issue, I have tingling in my hands and feet, that gets extremely severe at times. I also still have the incontinence issues. They said that this therapy would have no affect on either of those issues.
Anyone have experience with this?
Pain isn't the only issue, I have tingling in my hands and feet, that gets extremely severe at times. I also still have the incontinence issues. They said that this therapy would have no affect on either of those issues.
Anyone have experience with this?
- freetown fred
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Question---how old are you?
- freetown fred
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At 71 I got trashed L1-L2-L3-L4-L5-L6--let's call it "farmers back" LOL Got peripheral neuropathy. To a point, I'm a firm believer in med. tech--what you're talkin about??? I don't think so!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm thinkin it sounds like a pain blocker--pain makes me realize I'm still suckin air. I don't do all the things I used to but I don't just sit on my butt either. LIMITATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course after 2 yrs of 8 colon surgeries, I'm not real big on them, point being they can screw ya up as well as help.
- ONEDOLLAR
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Have you tried a regular "tens" unit Don?SWPaDon wrote:It's supposed to 'change' the pain feeling to a different sensation, is what the paperwork claims.
- SWPaDon
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No, I haven't used one for this problem. We are positive that something is pressing against my spinal cord, in several places, but it isn't showing up on the MRI's so the surgeons won't operate.ONEDOLLAR wrote:Have you tried a regular "tens" unit Don?SWPaDon wrote:It's supposed to 'change' the pain feeling to a different sensation, is what the paperwork claims.
- ONEDOLLAR
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Try a regular "tens" unit first prior to have any surgery would be my advice. Also you might consider some "inversion" therapy too.
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The tens units work wonders for some, that would be my first choice but I wonder why no doc has suggested it. Inversion is the same, works for some but whatever you try take it slow & easy, more too fast is not always better. I like FF tend to just get used to the pain & work around it, now the darn tooth I just had a crown put on is another story. Keeping moving as much as possible in a careful way sounds best to me, I'm no doc but with all the new stuff coming out I would look around real good before a "maybe" procedure. My wife has the neuropathy from the chemo but I can't recall what drug helps, doesn't stop but helps, I'll ask her when she's up & about. (never wake a sleeping bear) no matter what the time of day!
- SWPaDon
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Thanks, Sam.
I get pain in my lower back, that goes down my legs on the front and back of them. The docs claim that is two different problems. At times while I'm walking, I'll get either a 'icepick' like pain in my lower back that drops me like a rock to the ground, or at other times, the pain is like having a butcher knife shoved in my back. It also drops me like a rock.
I get sensations in top of my feet and upper back at various times like someone hits me with a wire brush very hard. Other times I get pains in the tips of my toes like someone is shoving a needle under my toenail, this is usually accompanied by a burning sensation.
My hands tingle all the time. At times it gets so bad that I can't touch a thing because of the 'needle' sensations in my fingertips. If that happens while I'm driving, I can only steer with the flap of skin in between my thumb and forefinger.
I have almost constant muscle spasms, from my lower spine to the top of my head. And yes, I actually get muscle spasms in my scalp.....that is happening as I'm typing right now.
I get severe headaches that spring up out of no where, but seem to be associated with the pain right at the base of my skull.
I get pain in my lower back, that goes down my legs on the front and back of them. The docs claim that is two different problems. At times while I'm walking, I'll get either a 'icepick' like pain in my lower back that drops me like a rock to the ground, or at other times, the pain is like having a butcher knife shoved in my back. It also drops me like a rock.
I get sensations in top of my feet and upper back at various times like someone hits me with a wire brush very hard. Other times I get pains in the tips of my toes like someone is shoving a needle under my toenail, this is usually accompanied by a burning sensation.
My hands tingle all the time. At times it gets so bad that I can't touch a thing because of the 'needle' sensations in my fingertips. If that happens while I'm driving, I can only steer with the flap of skin in between my thumb and forefinger.
I have almost constant muscle spasms, from my lower spine to the top of my head. And yes, I actually get muscle spasms in my scalp.....that is happening as I'm typing right now.
I get severe headaches that spring up out of no where, but seem to be associated with the pain right at the base of my skull.
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If it has MD after it's name I don't trust them. I have been a fan of chiropractic care for over 10 years. I have had numerous back and just about everything else pains and so far he has fixed everything. Mental problems are something else.
Last edited by coalnewbie on Mon. Aug. 29, 2016 9:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
- SWPaDon
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It was my chiropractor that sent me to the neurologist, He said there was nothing else he could do for me. I saw him 3 times a week from March til the middle of July 2015.
I started seeing the Chiropractor after the physical therapy screwed me up real bad. The last time I went to PT, I walked in and crawled out.
My last appointment with Pain Management was last week. She said I need an operation and asked if I had seen a surgeon. I told her I've seen two of them. One does conventional surgey, the other does laser. Both refused to operate. She said the only thing they can do is the neurostimulator or drugs.
I started seeing the Chiropractor after the physical therapy screwed me up real bad. The last time I went to PT, I walked in and crawled out.
My last appointment with Pain Management was last week. She said I need an operation and asked if I had seen a surgeon. I told her I've seen two of them. One does conventional surgey, the other does laser. Both refused to operate. She said the only thing they can do is the neurostimulator or drugs.
Last edited by SWPaDon on Mon. Aug. 29, 2016 9:48 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Get a better chiropractor, perhaps. Sounds like a tough issue - good luck with it. One CP told me they can fix most things other than atrophy. If the bone is dense you are fixable. Most of this is referred pain unless you have some major physical issues. So what do these geniuses say is the basic issue. If they say idiopathic in nature, it means they do not have a clue.
Last edited by coalnewbie on Mon. Aug. 29, 2016 9:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
- SWPaDon
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That's one thing I forgot to mention, I do have arthritus in my neck. And degenerative disc disease.
Last edited by SWPaDon on Mon. Aug. 29, 2016 9:57 am, edited 1 time in total.