Getting a Neurostimulator or Drug Pump
Chronic Pain
Managing chronic pain isn’t easy. That’s why more than 350,000 people worldwide have used the proven technology of our neurostimulators and drug pumps.1 One of the benefits of Medtronic Chronic Pain Therapies is that a trial (also known as a screening test) allows you to try the therapy before you commit to it.
Is It Right for You?
If your current treatment isn't providing enough pain relief or you are experiencing uncomfortable side effects, your doctor may recommend a screening trial to test spinal cord stimulation or targeted drug delivery to see if the therapy will work for you.
The treatment option that will work best for you depends on your type of chronic pain, how severe it is, and how you respond to pain treatment.
Neurostimulators
Spinal cord stimulation might be right for you if:
- Other treatment options haven’t provided pain relief or have intolerable/unwanted side effects
- Further surgeries are not recommended
- You don’t have a serious, untreated dependence on pain medication
- You have completed a psychological evaluation
- You don’t have medical issues that would make surgery difficult
- You have had a successful screening trial
Drug Pumps
A drug pump might be right for you if other treatment options have not provided relief from chronic pain or have produced uncomfortable side effects.
About the Trial
The trial gives you an opportunity to experience the therapy and see if it helps control your pain or improve your function.
A trial – also known as a screening test – serves as a temporary evaluation period.
If you experience significant pain relief during the trial, and you and your doctor agree that the trial was a success, you can proceed with long-term therapy.
Surgery: What to Expect
The surgery to implant a neurostimulator or drug pump takes approximately 1 to 3 hours and usually takes place in a hospital or surgery center.
More: Neurostimulators
More: Drug Pumps
Questions and Answers
Get your questions answered about screening trials, surgeries, and more.
More: Neurostimulators
More: Drug Pumps
Reference
1
Medtronic data on file 2014
Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.