Is there anyone here who has a spinal cord stimulator implant?

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I have a medtronic spinal cord stimulator implant that was put in 2003. I am having issues with it covering the pain that I am having. My pain specialist is wanting to put me on pain meds until it can have a revision done to it. My question is this...First has it ever been able to completely block your pain? And my second question is did it help for a period of time and then stop covering the pain? What have you chosen to do about it? Can you give me any suggestions.
I have never used a spinal cord stimulator but I have friends in chronic pain that have. Some of them have had very good results with it as far as blocking the pain. Some of them have had issues with the pain not getting as good of control because of the leads moving and then having to have them moved back.

Another girl I know had tried a stimulator and found that it didn't much help her so she want a kind of pain pump that seems to be helping a lot.

I have the link to a site that has a messageboard for chronic pain patients that could be of help. If you are interested in joining please e-mail me off site with the subject line: "Chronic Pain Messageboard" so that I will know what it's in regards to.  (+ info)

How serious is this, Spinal Cord aches and slight pain?

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For nearly 2 weeks now I've been experiencing slight aches and pain on my spinal cord. The aches located in the middle back. And the pain increases more when I bend even if i'm not holding anything?
And when i touch the the sore part and press some (or even light) pressure on it, it hurts even more. Is this really serious? Do you know what it could be?
To be honest it does not sound too serious. However, if it is bothersome go and get it checked out by your doctor. I have back problems myself on my lower back. I have a two herniated disks at the L4-L5 disk and at L5-S1 disk. I also have degenerating disk disease on my L5-S1 disk. It is quite painful to say the least. you say you experience only "slight" aches... so before you go spend money on a doctor I would recommend trying some other things... First take 400-600 mg of Motrin/Ibuprofen... next put some heat on the most tender part. Since you back hurts when you touch it it is more than likely a pulled muscle. So try taking some ibuprofen and put a heating pad on it or take a nice hot bath (those feel great on sore backs)... If it gets worse, stays the same, or is just very bothersome go to the doctor!  (+ info)

Rod suffers a injury to the sacral region of his spinal cord. Will he still be able to achieve a erection?Expl?

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Rod suffers a injury to the sacral region of his spinal cord, will he still be able to achieve an erection, explain.
I am not a hundred percent sure. We are taught in our EMT courses that with any spinal injury there is a chance for what is called a priapism. Which is the persistent erection of the penis which is a key indicator to spinal injury. He may get an erection that may not go away.  (+ info)

Spinal cord is feelable from the back of my neck?

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When I stand up, I can feel 2 parts of my spinal cord on the back of my neck. I have bad posture, and I don't think this is normal. How can I correct this?
thats not your spinal cord genius. thats your spine,
your spine is made of interlocking bones, it protects your spinal cord which is sort of like a vein through the center of your spine.
you should know this, this is basic human biology.  (+ info)

Can you get mad cow disease by eating any beef from an infected cow, or is it just by eating the spinal cord?

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I've heard that the brain, spinal cord and other central nervous system tissue is where the disease is found. Would steak be ok to eat?
Well 'officially', it would be OK to have a steak - scientific studies on cows with BSE have found no infectivity in muscle or peripheral nerves. However, these were studies using carefully dissected animals. In reality, due to the way meat is processed you could never guarantee that any part of an infected cow was OK to eat. And although infectivity has not been detected in the blood of infected cows, the blood of people with vCJD (which is the human version of BSE) IS infectious. But these days BSE is thankfully very rare, so it's certainly not something to worry about.  (+ info)

Who is the LONGEST living Quadriplegic with a C1 thru C 7th Spinal Cord Injury?

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Quadriplegic: someone who is paralyzed in ALL four limbs with varying degrees of paralysis at whatever level Spinal Cord Injury that was sustained to their body? In my particular question, I am ONLY interested in Spinal Cord Injuries caused from breaking, compound fracture, compressing, crushed, fracturing, severing, shattering, swelling, twisting the Cervical Vertabra from C1 thru C7 in which the vertebra cuts the Spinal Cord some how?
I am a C2-C3 ventilator dependent quadriplegic, due to a auto accident 14 years ago.  (+ info)

Numbness and tingly feeling in one spot on my upper back next to my spinal cord?

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A few months ago I was in a car accident and a week later I began to feel a numbness and tingly feeling in my upper back a few inches right of my spinal cord. The feeling only comes occasionally when I am sitting a certain way and does not cause any weakness. Could it be and issue with a nerve? Are there treatments to permenately aliviate the problem? Thanks.
So far it doesn't sound serious. Ice should be applied 20 minutes at a time, then moist heat.

Take some non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. The patience, and more patience.

Ask you Dr if vigorous walking is appropriate.

The cycle starts with swelling, which starves the muscles. The anti-inflammatories, and compresses take the swelling down, and the exercise will increase the needed blood flow, along with strengthening the muscles involved.  (+ info)

Why is a break of the spinal cord at the cervical region worse than one in the thoracic region?

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Why is a break of the spinal cord at the cervical region worse than one in the thoracic region?
Basically because it is closer to the brain, the nerve supply (instructions from the brain) to the more basic functions of your body branch off in the neck. I assume you know some of it from the terms you use. C3-C5 controls breathing, especially the diaphragm. Wikipedia should be able to help as well. If you want real in depth answers, email me. I'm a paramedic, and since the neck is commonly injured in car accidents, we need to know a lot about spinal cord injuries. There is so much to answer in this question it is hard to condense it.  (+ info)

WHat should we do/check before helping a person helping a person to sit up with a spinal cord injury?

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What should we do/check before helping a person to sit up with a spinal cord injury?
I just want to say thank you everyone for the reply. I have one more q?

what is postural hypotension got to do with the spinal cord injury?
Never move someone with a suspected spinal cord injury unless they are in a life threatening situation. Even then you shouldn't mess with them unless you are properly trained. Call 911 and let the EMT's take care of them.

If someone has a spinal cord injury they need to be immobilized by having their neck put in a cervical collar and then they should be strapped to a backboard. They need to be taken to see a doctor and the doctor can clear them.

There are cases where people have hurt their neck and not realized it and have died from their injuries later on.  (+ info)

Question on Treatment of Football Player with Spinal Cord Injury?

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I have been reading that the football player with a spinal cord injury was treated with cold fluids to slow the formation of scar tissue. Is this standard practice today? What exactly is the recommended treatment for someone with a potential spinal injury?
it was actually a very new procedure and one that the nerosurgeons just learned at a seminar a few weeks earlier, i heard it was developed out of florida and this case was the first time it was used so quickly (within 10 minutes of accident) im a big bills fan and have been following pretty closely on kevin's condition, its a miracle that someone can sustain a life threatening spinal cord injury and be moving his limbs 2 days later, i applaud those doctors.  (+ info)

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