Pain
Center -
Implantable Pain Relief
Implantable pain relieving devices are used in the Pain Center. When other
treatments fail, these can work wonders for some people with chronic pain.
There are two different types of implantable treatment: Infusion pumps and
spinal cord stimulation. Infusion pumps are implanted under the skin and bathe painful nerves in a
steady dose of pain reliever. The pump delivers the small, controlled
amounts of pain medication, usually morphine, directly into the intrathecal
space surrounding the spinal cord. The pump is refilled through a tiny
needle inserted through the skin. Some patients who have switched to the
pump after taking morphine pills are able to drive, socialize, shop and do
all the things they enjoy doing. Spinal cord stimulation is a technology often effective in treating back,
leg and other lower extremity pain. An implantable stimulator emits tiny
electrical pulses, similar in frequency to the pain impulses that block pain
messages to the brain. The pulses produce a tingling that blocks pain
sensation. Both types of implants can work wonders for cancer patients or patients with
incurable chronic pain because they deliver relief directly to the pain
receptors.
For more information about implantable pain pumps or stimulators contact the
Pain Center at (218) 733-2344.
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