Raj Sureja, MD discusses imaging with a patient
Interventional Pain Management
Chronic pain is a leading cause of disability in the United States. The CDC estimates that 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain and another 19 million suffer from severe chronic pain. Interventional Pain Management is a medical specialty whose physicians treat chronic pain patients by diagnosing and treating the root causes of their pain through interventional procedures.
Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) or Spinal Neuromodulation is a treatment for chronic pain that is unresponsive to other treatments. By precisely placing electrodes near the spinal cord, low voltage current can be transmitted that interrupts pain signals as they travel to the brain. The electrodes are connected by a cable to a pulse generator and an internally implanted battery. Patients who have SCS report significantly reduced pain, can reduce or eliminate the need for pain medication, have increased levels of function in their work and daily activities.
The Interventional Pain Management Specialists at Coastal Virginia Surgery Center perform trial implantations of Spinal Cord Stimulator devices. This outpatient procedure allows the patient to “test-drive” the device at home and work, adjust the settings up or down, turn the device on or off, and assess pain reduction for a period of a week to ten days. If the trial is a success, the patient can choose to have the device permanently implanted by a CVSC Spine Surgeon.