What is it about?
Spinal cord stimulation involves implanting a device that sends electrical impulses to mask pain signals to the brain. This study reports its use in patients with ongoing and disabling back pain from the patients' point of view.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
There is very little literature giving the patient perspective about spinal cord stimulation for failed back pain syndrome. Specifically, we were interested in finding out how their experience could be improved, especially with regard to the provision of information.
Perspectives
I spoke to adults who were living with severe back pain during mid-life. Without exception, this had completely changed their lives. Many had to give up paid employment with all the implications this brings. Their days centred around managing their pain. I was pleased to be able to play a small part in optimising the use of spinal cord stimulation for this population; although for those for whom it was not effective it was sobering to listen to their feelings of disappointment, as it was often seen as a last resort after years of pain and surgery.
Susan Jones
Teesside University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: An Exploration of the Experiences and Educational Needs of Patients With Failed Back Surgery Syndrome Receiving Spinal Cord Stimulation, Neuromodulation Technology at the Neural Interface, November 2018, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1111/ner.12885.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
