When you think of traumatic injuries, you likely think of broken bones and damaged muscles, but your nerves are just as much at risk. Here’s what you should know about traumatic nerve pain and what you can do about it.
While the goal of any surgery is to relieve pain and improve function, the initial recovery period is often quite unbearable, and sometimes, lasting pain ensues from failed surgeries. Our team at US Neuropathy Centers utilizes peripheral nerve stimulation in both cases, providing our patients with lasting pain relief.
A total knee arthroplasty is simply a total knee replacement. The word “arthroplasty” means surgical reconstruction or replacement of a joint. During a total knee arthroplasty, your surgeon replaces your knee joint with an artificial one.
Also known as “knee resurfacing,” a knee replacement helps you regain lost mobility and relieves chronic pain. But first, you have to endure a long recovery period and post-surgical pain — and sometimes lasting pain from a surgery that didn’t go well, which is where peripheral nerve stimulation comes in.
Peripheral nerve stimulation treats chronic pain by way of a small device that sends electrical signals to the nerves in your body (not your brain or spinal cord, which is the case with spinal cord stimulation).
Your provider at US Neuropathy Centers implants the small electrical device near one of your peripheral nerves. In the case of a knee arthroplasty, your surgeon implants the stimulator somewhere in your leg. When turned on, the device emits electrical pulses that feel like mild tingles or slight numbness, medically known as paresthesias and colloquially called “pins and needles.”
This electrical stimulation masks and intercepts the pain signals that your peripheral nerves are attempting to send to your brain: When pain signals can’t reach your brain, you don’t feel any pain.
Peripheral nerve stimulation can benefit anyone who has chronic pain, but clinical studies show that it’s a particularly effective treatment for pain after knee arthroplasty.
One study suggests that peripheral nerve stimulation is extremely effective during the initial recovery period, noting that the average pain score for all subjects was less than 4 (out of 10) in the first two post-op weeks. Another study suggests that utilizing peripheral nerve stimulation after knee surgery can reduce opioid use in patients.
To find out if you’re a good candidate for peripheral nerve stimulation, get in touch with US Neuropathy Centers today. Schedule a consultation appointment by calling our Mariettea or Atlanta, Georgia, office. Or request an appointment with our online booking tool.
You Might Also Enjoy...
When you think of traumatic injuries, you likely think of broken bones and damaged muscles, but your nerves are just as much at risk. Here’s what you should know about traumatic nerve pain and what you can do about it.
Are you frustrated by knee pain? One of the first and most important steps to less pain is figuring out what’s causing it. Here’s what you should know about common causes of knee pain and how we can help you find relief.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation sounds like something from a sci-fi movie, but it’s actually an evidence-based, very safe treatment that addresses multiple health issues. Keep reading to get familiar with TMS so you know what to expect.
You had surgery to fix what was causing your pain, but now your symptoms are worse than ever. Take a closer look at what causes post-op pain and how we can help you find relief.
The condition is painful, but fortunately, the process to diagnose Morton’s neuroma is simple. Here’s a closer look at how we diagnose Morton’s neuroma and how we treat this foot condition.
Living with depression can leave you feeling isolated. But there’s a team of specialists ready to walk alongside you on your road to a happier, more fulfilled life. Here’s what you should know about our advanced depression treatment.