Peripheral nerve stimulation

What is peripheral nerve stimulation?

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  Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is a treatment technique that uses electricity to treat pain for patients who suffer from peripheral neuropathy and other chronic painful conditions such as:
  • chronic pain after knee, foot or shoulder surgery or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).
• This technology is ideal for patients who have not experienced pain relief from conservative or other interventional therapies.

What is the process?

• First, you will undergo a peripheral nerve block to see if your pain can be temporarily relieved by targeting a specific nerve.
• If you have pain relief from a nerve block, the PNS procedure requires inserting a small electrical wire along the damaged nerve under the guidance of an ultrasound. The wire delivers tiny electrical pulses which feel like a mild tingling sensation (a paresthesia), which in turn helps reduce or cover pain symptoms.
• Unlike other spinal cord stimulation devices, the battery for a PNS is a small sticker worn on the skin, making this a very minimally invasive procedure.