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There are many versions of neuromodulators to help manage CRPS.
SCS treatment is seen as an invasive treatment option for CRPS. It is also an expensive treatment and many PCT's / hospitals are reluctant to do this. The cost is in the region of £15,000 and so you would have a trial stimulator put in for a few days, weeks or a few months and then if the trial is successful for you in reducing your pain and symptoms, they will implant the full SCS.
Before you are considered for an SCS, you have to go through a full psychological assessment. Electrodes are put on the spinal cord and a battery pack is inserted at the front of your body under your skin in the abdomen region. You are given a 'wand' to place on the outside where the battery pack is and you can control the on/off and volume of the stimulation up and down.
There are now different types of SCS, including a 10 kHz High Frequency SCS (Russo, M & Van Buyten, J-P. 2015). Usually, the SCS is seen and implanted as a last resort treatment due to various implications, including the cost and invasiveness of the procedure However, research studies, such as the Poree, L. et al. (2012) study, say that: "Newer information regarding safety, cost, and efficacy leads us to believe that SCS for the treatment of CRPS should be implemented earlier in a treatment algorithm using a more comprehensive approach."
The Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) is a small bundle of nerves that are involved in sending pain messages to the brain. They control when sensations can enter your spinal cord and you will find there is a DRG in every section of bone in your spine. DRG stimulation uses implanted equipment under your skin in your spine to send mild electrical impulses to the area of the DRG in your spine.
For more information about this treatment, read our Complete Guide To DRG Stimulation Treatment article. You can download our 24-page guide to Dorsal Root Ganglion stimulation for CRPS booklet or purchase a physical copy from the Burning Nights CRPS Support Shop.
