SCS and Chronic neck pain and headaches
 

Hi everyone I have had 2 cervical spinal fusions and have been in pain since the 2nd surgery in 2001. I am considering having a Boston Scientific SCS. I have not been able to find much information on SCS for cervical neck pain. The one video on you tube showed the surgeon putting the leads in at the cervical area, it did not show the implantation of the generator so I do not know if he fed the leads down the spine or where the generator was placed. Anyone who has had this procedure done for cervical chronic neck pain I would appreciate any information you could share with me. Thanks and God Bless. mstrplmber

Hello!
 

I just posted a 'welcome' message to you on your introduction thread - LOL
You beat me to it - you already found us!
Glad you're here

I'm sorry you are dealing with this pain. We all know how this can affect our lives. Until I found this forum, it was a pretty lonely battle to fight despite
my loving family and friends trying to help, they really couldn't 'know' what this is like. We're all on the same page here and there are many different stories and variations of how we came to get these units.

There's plenty to read! Here's a great information piece that I found very helpful:
http://www.nationalpainfoundation.or...e-technologies

How far have you and your Dr come with the process of getting one?

Lots of folks here have Boston Scientifics and are happy with them. I encourage you to check out Mark56's thread titled Boston Scientific. He has quite a chronicled story unfolding.
Other folks are having some frustrating issues to contend with, so you'll get a good idea of the gammet of experiences going on here.

It'll be great getting to know you!

Rae
:hug:

How it began
 

Hi Rae I read mark 56's thread. I fell down a flight of stairs in 1998 in the house I had closed on 2 weeks earlier causing me to have a anterior cervical discectomy in which they installed a titanium plate with 4 screws. I returned to work as a plumbing supervisor about 9 months later. I had about 80 men working for me in several different buildings and some of the men needed some fittings so I went to the truck to get them only to stand up in the back of the truck and hit the rung of a ladder on the back of my neck only to dislodge the plate and screws which caused the good vertebrae which they attached the plate to to tear out and cut off the spinal fluid to my brain which made it necessary to have emergency surgery. Until this point I was in very little pain or at least manageable. During the 2nd surgery they accidentally cut my esophogus while trying to put my neck back together. I now have 4 fused vertebrae and have been in pain ever since. I lost everything at that time (house,wife,truck etc.) I was declared disabled in 2004. The fall has left me with a vestibular condition which controls balance, as well as failing hearing and eyesight not to mention loss of memory prior to 1998. Prior to the fall I can't remember ever having a headache and now I have one at least 18 hours a day along with acute neck and shoulder pain. Only when I am able to sleep do I get any relief. I have tried TENS units to no avail, many pain meds and now I am looking at SCS as an alternative. I have viewed the dvd the Dr. sent home with me and I have read numerous threads in a few different forums. They are waiting on a call from me to set up the psch evaluation. After reading some threads and viewing you tube videos I am skeptical about having the SCS. I am a 51 year old man who is very limited in the exercise I can do. I am 5'10" 190 lbs, I used to be 6'1" and 215 lbs. Walking and even standing causes discomfort. I would appreciate any information on exercises I could do and any information on someone who has had sucess with the SCS. Thanks mstrplmber

Feel for you Mstrplmbr!!
 

ANYONE with an ounce of compassion in their soul would reach out in prayer for you. So much anguish over an occurrence which lasted, what, maybe 15 or 20 seconds? So much damage. Just so much to handle.

I lost portions of my memory due to the concussion- people I could not recall, numbers known second nature to me---- gone, family memories vanished. Yours seems SO HARD to have endured. If TENS did no effect for you, I wonder whether an Interferential Stimulator [a so called TENS unit on steroids] might demonstrate any effect. I used one for about a year and a half along with myriad meds before doc said I had found the end of the road treatment wise and recommended consideration of SCS. He noted the Interferential Stimulator had been of help to me [but the ding dang things only carry about an hour and a half of charge then require a lnog recharge cycle].

One thing that is beneficial about the SCS approach is the Trial surgery which provides every potential candidate an opportunity to learn first hand whether the device can be of benefit. The rubric is gotta have at least 50% improvement in pain management while still on pain meds during the Trial to discern whether it might do the trick. Trial lasts about a week in the U.S. and is far lower risk than going full bore for the permanent implant.

You've read my thread. Know what the SCS has done for me, but the stories on this forum range from me to those who have had them removed because of failure. Every attempt is an opportunity for success or a stage for failure, but then not trying at least a Trial always would leave a potential candidate with the perpetual "what if" question..... I suppose this is why I tried it in the first place. Though I feared the surgery, I also feared living on meds the rest of my life, and gotta remind you, that is quite a limitation on life. My perception in my case was it was not much of a life at all..... so I gave it a go.


Not selling any stim products here, just giving my two cents worth. You never know whether you can fly until you sit in the pilot's seat and take the run down the runway applying power until rotation brings you away from the earth into the ability to soar with the birds [I know that feeling in both prop and jet aircraft... and it is a real kick in the pants].

Can you take back part of the life which pain has stolen from you? Maybe so,
I am doing it,:grouphug:
Mark56

Hi everyone, at the very least, it is encouraging to see how swiftly everyone is in terms of wanting to help eachother!!! I am currently having some nasty lingering pain in the right region of my neck, trap, shoulder... My right trap area hurts so much and feels unstable.. my doctor sent me for a C-spine and shoulder mri. Will this show my upper right back/trapezius area?? any feed back is super helpful.. i am new to this website as well, so i dont really know how everything works.. i have done quite a bit of research and would like to contribute to helping out others if i can! thanks

Well Hello There!
 

WELCOME to this fantastic forum! It's great to have you!

I'm sorry about this pain that haunts you, but it sounds as tho your Dr is really trying to pin down what the cause is.
You might want to copy your post over on the Spinal Forum also, I bet you'd get some feedback on your question from them.
Here's the link to get you there:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/fo...aysprune=&f=22

There's something for everyone here at Neurotalk and I hope you can start getting some answers.

Again, welcome! Glad you found us!

Caring,
Rae
:grouphug:

Howdy Franckiewicz08!!
 

Rrae is on target again with her advice about checking out the Spine Forum, and the short answer is "Yep" to your question. Been there, done that along the way somewhere over the last six and a half plus years...... But WOW, that Trap area Really got irritated when I was post-operative discectomy/laminectomy/fusion and trying to move myself around with the upper body..... HAH!! That both felt like I was pulling my body in half, of course I was not, but the muscles were darn irritated from the invasion and the Traps especially my right became way sore.

I gather you are not currently an SCS implantee or your Doc would not be sending you for the MRI study. Anyway Frankie, may all be well with you, indeed!!

Caring lots,
Mark56 :grouphug:

HI there! I have had a SCS implanted for upper extremity pain. The control unit is in my left buttock and the wires run up the spinal column to the nerve bundle in my neck. This is where the doctor can attach the leads on the nerves that need the stimulation. I rarely feel the leads in my neck unless I am having a horrible day, or sleep crooked. I have lost a lot of weight recently and am having some discomfort from the control unit. Hope this helps some and gl, Lisa

Mstrplmbr,
I had a Medtronic implanted back in Aug. I had severe shoulder, arm and neck pain along with daily migraines. The tens unit would help some with my shoulder pain but nothing else. Now that I have the stimulator my headaches are gone. Not 1 headache since. Arm pain gone! Shoulder pain was helped about 50 to 75%. Deep neck pain still comes and goes, seems like weather has a factor. My battery is in the love handle area on my back side. 3 months ago I was a desperate man. It was worth it just to get rid of the headaches. I charge mine every 2-3 weeks. I haven't been on this site for awhile but the people are very nice and helpful. I'll check back more often. Have any questions, please ask.
Showdy

Hi Showdy!
 

It's great to see you again! Oh how nice it would be if more people would pop in with an update! More times than not tho, they get their units and then they disappear. We've got our good ol' 'skeleton crew' here always willing to help, which is great, plus we learn a little more from each person who passes thru. :)

How WONDERFUL that your unit has worked out so well! Love the praise reports! AND you only have to charge every 2-3 weeks. Most of us it's every 2-3 DAYS. It's amazing that your headaches are completely gone!

Oh yes, the weather has everything to do with pain flares....it's a constant reminder of how fun it is to age. :rolleyes:

It's so great to hear from you again!

:hug: Rae :hug: