Central & Peripheral Stimulation
For most people, aches and pains of life are manageable, but for others, chronic pain can be debilitating. The reasons behind chronic pain are often difficult to pinpoint and treat, and in some cases, the condition may be incurable. The most common treatments for chronic pain include medications and surgery, but these often come with side effects and don’t provide long-term relief.
North Shore Headache and Spine offers central and peripheral stimulation to help patients in Huntington, New York, find relief from chronic pain and live life to its fullest. Led by Frank Ocasio, MD, board-certified in anesthesiology and interventional pain management, North Shore Headache and Spine aims to educate patients about medical conditions and provide personalized treatment plans. Dr. Ocasio utilizes central and peripheral stimulation to restore function and improve quality of life without medication.
What Is Central and peripheral stimulation?
Central and Peripheral Stimulation are common treatments for chronic pain in the spine. The nervous system has two pain parts – the central nervous system, and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system encompasses the brain and spinal cord, while the peripheral system includes all the nerves outside of the brain and spine. The origin of pain determines which treatment will work best to reduce pain and improve your quality of life. The main difference between Central Nerve Stimulation (CNS) and Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) is the placement of lead wires. They are both FDA-approved electrotherapy devices to target chronic pain through electrical pulses to mask pain receptors in the brain.
When is central nerve stimulation used?
Central Nerve Stimulation is a preferred treatment when epidural steroid injections have not produced satisfactory results, and the patient is not a candidate for a surgical procedure or does not wish to have a surgical intervention. CNS aims to impede incoming nerve impulses with an internal electrode device that acts like a pacemaker for pain.
How Does peripheral nerve stimulation work?
Peripheral Nerve Stimulation places a stimulating lead outside of the spine, unlike CNS, where it is located internally. In PNS, when blocking the nerve is no longer an effective treatment option, there is an opportunity to implant a temporary or permanent nerve stimulation device. SPRINT PNS is a 60-day temporary nerve treatment that requires an external battery that provides energy to target a nerve through an implanted wire. The treatment can provide prolonged relief for patients struggling to manage chronic pain. NALU PNS is a long-term treatment where a wire is permanently placed next to the target nerve and allows the patient to have a way to block incoming pain signals by providing energy directly to that nerve.
How does nerve stimulation work?
CNS and PNS are surgical procedures where electrotherapy devices are connected to one or more lead wires, carefully positioned to intercept nerve pathways that carry pain signals. North Shore Headache and Spine works closely with patients to identify which treatment will target and reduce chronic pain more effectively based on the origin of pain.
Schedule a nerve stimulation appointment today
Contact us to schedule a consultation and learn more about central and peripheral nerve stimulation.
Why Choose North Shore Headache and Spine?
1
INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS &
REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
With our in-office diagnostic imaging, dozens of innovative treatments, and full regenerative medicine service offerings, we are able to examine, diagnose, and treat patients experiencing chronic pain all under one roof.
2
Long-Term
Integrative Philosophy
Instead of masking symptoms with a quick-fix approach, we focus on every lifestyle aspect to determine the root causes of pain and develop non-narcotic solutions.
3
Deeply-Committed
Relationships
Our team values each and every one of our patients. We understand the toll that chronic pain takes on your physical and mental health, and we’re committed to listening to your concerns and creating the right treatent plan for you.
Pain Management Treatment Options
North Shore Headache and Spine offers the latest modalities for pain treatment, including, but not limited to:
PRP
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) utilizes your body’s natural healing abilities to repair hard and soft tissue damage. PRP concentrates parts of your blood that contain healing growth factors. By running your blood through a centrifuge, we can isolate these restorative substances and inject it back into your tissues to promote healing.
Cellular therapy
Adding mesenchymal stem cells to your regenerative treatment can accelerate your recovery. Dr. Ocasio removes these stem cells directly from your own bone marrow and injects them back into your body along with bone marrow centrate which is rich in growth factors and cytokines that can help reduce inflammation and aid in regeneration.
Nerve Blocks
A nerve block delivers a combination of medication and an anesthetic directly into the space surrounding a damaged nerve to quickly relieve pain.
RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION AND CRYONEUROLYSIS
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a pain management treatment that uses heat to destroy tissue and prevent pain signals from being sent to the brain. Cryoneurolysis is a nerve-blocking technology to help reduce chronic pain due to nerve damage.
Intracept Basivertebral Nerve Ablation
The Intracept Procedure is a minimally invasive treatment that targets the basivertebral nerve, which is often responsible for lower back pain.
Epidural Blood Patch
An epidural blood patch treatment involves drawing the patient’s blood and re-injecting it into the epidural space to “patch” the tear or leak in the dura of the spine.
Epidural, Steroid, and Trigger Point Injections
Steroid injections, including epidurals and trigger point injections, introduce anti-inflammatory medications into your area of pain to simultaneously alleviate chronic pain and treat inflammation.