Peripheral Nerve Stimulation

What is peripheral nerve stimulation?

Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) relieves pain by stopping pain messages traveling through your nerves. The stimulator sends mild electrical impulses into the nerve.

The electrical stimulation overrides the pain signals with tingling sensations. As a result, your brain doesn’t perceive the pain, and you get relief. Many patients can reduce or stop their medications after getting a peripheral nerve stimulator implanted.

When would I need peripheral nerve stimulation?

Your provider at the Centers of Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine may recommend PNS if you have chronic (long-lasting) pain that doesn’t improve with other conventional treatments.

PNS directly targets the peripheral nerves (the nerves throughout your body and outside your brain and spinal cord). As a result, this treatment can alleviate pain caused by many possible conditions, including:

• Peripheral neuropathy
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
• Postherpetic neuralgia
• Occipital neuralgia
• Trigeminal neuralgia
• Peripheral vascular disease pain
• Postamputation pain
• Shoulder pain
• Low back and hip pain
• Foot, knee, and leg pain

PNS may also ease persistent or severe pain after surgery.

How do peripheral nerve stimulators work?

Your provider uses real-time imaging to thread thin lead wires under your skin, placing the tiny electrodes next to the targeted nerve. Then, they implant a small pulse generator under your skin and attach it to the lead wires.

The generator sends pulses through the electrodes and into the nerve. The generator is programmed to send out pulses regularly. You can also use a remote control device or an app to turn the pulses on and off and adjust the intensity.

What happens during the implant procedure?

Before implanting a peripheral nerve stimulator, you have a trial. Using temporary lead wires and an external power source, you use PNS for about one week to see how well it works for you.

You decide whether to have the device implanted based on the extent of pain relief it provides. If you choose to continue using PNS, your provider inserts permanent electrodes and implants the generator.

PNS implantation is an outpatient procedure that the team typically performs in the office using a local anesthetic. After the device is implanted, you can return to all your normal activities.

Ready to learn more about peripheral nerve stimulation and if it can help you? Call the Centers of Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine or request an appointment online today.