Spinal Cord Stimulator Specialist

Dr. Bowers says his most satisfying experiences are when long-suffering patients are helped to find out what source of pain is actually bothering them and offering solutions that are able to finally mitigate or resolve chronic pains. This starts with a thorough examination and review of a patient’s medical history. From this information, an accurate diagnosis can be determined. However even with an accurate diagnosis, every patient reacts differently to the same treatment and what works for one patient may not work for another patient. That is why having several treatment modalities is important. One of many treatment modalities that Dr. Bowers specializes in is neurostimulation.

Spinal cord stimulation, also known as neuromodulation or neurostimulation, is an advanced, modern technique for reduction of chronic low back, neck, and arm and leg pain. A small electrical tool can be painlessly placed in the neck or mid back and controlled with a cellphone-like device by the patient. Sounds like the future? It’s here now and it has been shown to work and work well. And it works for years.

Dr. Bowers has the ability to trial and implant a spinal cord stimulator or a neurostimulator into the spinal canal, which sits in the epidural space and is able to delivery safe and low dose electrical impulses, which has the ability to lessen the occurrence and inhibit the transmission of chronic pain. Dr. Bowers, serving the Seattle Bellevue area, is a Spinal Cord Stimulator specialist, having helped thousands of patients with this type of device.

Spinal cord stimulators, which have been in clinical use over 40 years, are FDA-approved therapies and devices, which show benefit for a variety of painful conditions caused by diagnoses including

1. Failed back surgery syndrome, also known as post laminectomy pain syndrome
2. CRPS, also known as complex regional pain syndrome, or RSD, reflex sympathetic dystrophy
3. Chronic low back pain
4. Epidural fibrosis
5. Chronic neck pain, usually related to spinal fusion surgery
6. Peripheral neuropathy, sometimes related to diabetes or idiopathic
7. Sciatica, also known as lumbar radiculopathy or pinched nerve pain

Patients electing to trial a neurostimulator undergo a five to ten day trial period (typically seven), where the patient is able to evaluate the benefit provided by neuromodulation. This can be done either in-office or in an operating room. Patients may need only local anesthesia or light sedation for this procedure.

The technology continues to evolve and vast improvements in multiple aspects of the device provide improved benefit, safety and ease for the patient. For example, generator capacity and longevity have both lessened the burden of recharging, the user interface has grown to parallel modern handheld computing devices, and Medicare and most major commercial insurance plans recognize the benefits of the therapy and approve coverage for patients likely to benefit.

Most importantly, however, the waveform technology continues to dial down the exact low dose electrical signals and pulses that are needed to produce the longest lasting and strongest clinical benefit.

Dr. Bowers is able to work with all major spinal cord stimulator manufacturers, including Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Abbott and Nevro, however prefers Medtronic use for his patients for a variety of reasons for patient centered reasons, including full body MRI compatibility without restriction, continual development and improvement of technology, clinical support as well as intercompatibility with other companies’ devices, which is not known to be mutual at the time of this writing.

https://www.medtronic.com/us-en/patients/treatments-therapies/spinal-cord-stimulation-chronic-pain/therapy-overview.html

Here is data from the RCT demonstrating excellent (1 year) long term benefit to the Medtronic DTM programming.

https://www.medtronic.com/us-en/healthcare-professionals/therapies-procedures/neurological/spinal-cord-stimulation/clinical-outcomes/dtm-scs-rct.html

If you are interested in seeing if you’re a good candidate for a spinal cord stimulator trial or implant for neuromodulation/neurostimulation therapy, please contact Bellevue Pain and Wellness and set up an appointment with Dr. Bowers.

For our spinal cord stimulator FAQ visit: https://www.bellevuepainwellness.com/blog/spinal-cord-stimulator-faq

We are pleased to serve Bellevue, Seattle, Redmond, Kirkland, Everett and all other surrounding areas with needs pain management and chronic pain.