![]() The psychologist also looks for undiagnosed or undertreated depression in patients, which can greatly alter the way a pain diagnosis is treated.Īfter passing his pre-op evaluation, Bill underwent a trial period to give the spinal stimulator a test drive before he had it surgically placed. Part of this evaluation was an interview with a clinical psychologist to ensure he had good comprehension of the causes of his pain and a realistic goal regarding relief. For the patient, the pain signals are interchanged with a dull, vibrating sensation that becomes much like white noise.īefore the stimulator is surgically placed, Bill underwent a thorough evaluation, which is required for all patients. When pain signals are detected, the stimulator creates a small electrical field to interrupt it. The stimulator is surgically placed on the back of the spinal cord, where the majority of the body’s sensory columns are located. A non-narcotic option, a spinal cord stimulator works by emitting an electrical field, which in turn interrupts pain signals. Nelson suggested Bill consider a Medtronic spinal cord stimulator to help combat his neuropathy pain. ![]() ![]() He does what he does to help make a difference for other people, and the idea of his pain being bad enough to take that away from him and the people he teaches was a very terrible idea,” Dr. “That bothered me tremendously because he seemed like a very heartfelt and passionate teacher. Nelson that his pain had gotten to the point where he was going to have to stop volunteering and ministering. “He was also cognizant of the things that this pain has taken from him because it had become so bad.”īill told Dr. “Bill is very bright and had a good understanding of what his pain generators were-but he was also very realistic,” Dr. Once referred, Bill was seen by Aaron Nelson, DO, a pain management specialist. He was also taking a lot of prescription pain medications to combat the neuropathy, something he disliked given his previous experience working at an addiction center.īill knew he needed a unique answer to his pain, and a referral to Riverview Health Pain Management Center in Westfield was the start to that answer. The pain became so intense that Bill couldn’t even stand his sheets to touch his feet at night. “It is in my hands, too, but not as severe as in my feet.” You lose balance and you don’t get all the information from your brain to your feet anymore,” Bill said. “For me, neuropathy felt like a jolting seizure of the nerve-it is a fiery feeling, like your foot has gone to sleep. Bill also has diabetes, which further worsened the condition. ![]() Unfortunately, a cancer diagnosis and the accompanying neuropathy from the treatment slowed Bill down dramatically. Prior to retirement, Bill worked at the same location for ten years as an education coordinator helping individuals struggling with addiction. At 67, he is now retired, but still volunteers his time at the Salvation Army Harbor Light Center where twice a month he takes a team to minister and perform worship concerts. Now feeling well enough to weight-lift, he hopes to rebuild his strength in preparation for a motorcycle trip to Canada during the summer of 2023. After undergoing surgery to place a spinal cord stimulator to combat neuropathy pain, Bill has been able to get back to the things he loves again. ![]()
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