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Pain Pump Management Q & A

What is pain pump management?

Pain pumps are tiny devices that your doctor implants underneath your skin to release pain medicine into your spinal cord directly. The pump rests under the skin in your abdomen and delivers the medicine through a catheter. 

The Neuroscience and Spine Institute specialists help you properly manage your discomfort long term. When the medicine goes directly to the area where you feel discomfort, it controls your pain using much smaller doses of medicine versus ingesting an oral medication. That means the side effects associated with pain medicine are reduced when you have a pain pump. 

What is pain pump management used for?

Your pain management provider may recommend pain pump management if you have one or more of the following conditions:

  • Failed back surgery syndrome
  • Pain caused by cancer or its treatment
  • Chronic pancreatitis
  • Nervous system diseases
  • Peripheral nerve injuries
  • Scarring or inflammation of spinal nerves
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Brain or spinal cord injuries
  • Stroke

If your pain is debilitating or ongoing, a pain pump or other pain management solutions can restore your quality of life.

Is pain pump management right for me?

To determine if you’re a candidate for pain pump management, your specialist reviews your symptoms, discusses your medical history, and asks about your current medication regimen. 

Your provider checks your vital signs, completes a physical exam, and may order blood tests, nerve testing, or imaging procedures. They then tailor a treatment that allows you to live your life pain-free. 

What should I expect during pain pump management?

If you need a pain pump, your provider inserts it under your skin during a minor surgical procedure. They place a catheter in the space surrounding your spinal cord and implant the pump under the skin in your abdomen. 

After pain pump placement, it delivers medicine into your body for pain reduction. Your pain specialist can refill medication in the pump or replace its battery as needed to keep the pain under control long-term. 

They may suggest other pain-reduction strategies, such as physical therapy, healthy lifestyle changes, regenerative medicine, pain injections, or other minor procedures. 

To learn more about pain pump management at The Neuroscience and Spine Institute and find out if it’s right for you, call the office or use the online booking feature today.