The NEW Normal For Spinal Cord Injuries - Spinal Cord Stimulation
What is a Spinal Cord Stimulator?
Made by Medtronic in the United States, the spinal cord stimulator is backed by a lifetime warranty. Spinal cord stimulators have been used since the 1960s to treat chronic pain.
A spinal cord stimulator, also known as an “epidural stimulator,” is a medical device consisting of thin wires (electrodes) and a small battery pack (generator). The generator is implanted under the skin during surgery, usually in the buttocks or abdomen. The wires are then fed through the spinal column between the vertebrae and the spinal cord itself. Once implanted, patients can control the stimulation by pressing a remote control to send electrical impulses on demand.
Verita Neuro brings you Epidural Stimulation, the cutting-edge treatment that uses electrical pulses to send brain signals along injured spinal cords. We work with the worldwide neurological community’s finest surgeons and therapists to care for a steady stream of international SCI patients whose needs are not met by their homeland’s healthcare systems.
How Does It Work?
The first step of epidural stimulation treatment is a surgery which involves the implantation of a spinal cord stimulator into the epidural space of the spine. It acts as a ‘bridge’, amplifying disrupted brain signals and directing them to the areas responsible for the motor function below the injury level. The device emits an electrical current, which produces voluntary muscle contraction and movements. Once the stimulator is implanted, a specialist physiotherapy team then works to program the stimulator, tailoring the intensity and frequency of the current to each patient’s body and individual needs. During the minimum 35 day stay with us, the patients work with the team to learn how to re-train their body to move again and become more independent.
Once implanted, patients can expect improvements in:
Range of motion
Voluntary movement including standing and taking steps
Muscle strength
Functional use of hands, arms, and legs
Stabilization of blood pressure and body temperature
Increase aerobic conditioning and overall fitness
Ability to prevent bone density loss
Increased sensation
Bladder and bowel control
Reduction of spasms
Relief from neuropathic pain
Improved sexual function
Spinal cord stimulation is combined with other therapies, such as physical, occupational, and exercise therapy. When combined, individuals experience more freedom and less dependence on caretakers to perform day-to-day tasks. In order to promote regeneration of new nerve cells, it is also combined with stem cell therapy. Results have been impressive.
Meet Brinston
Another patient just like Celeste — just one year post a paralytic accident. Brinston quickly saw gains after his Spinal Cord Stimulation Surgery.
Help Celeste regain her freedom
with Spinal Cord Stimulation Surgery
While spinal cord stimulation surgery is performed in the United States, it is limited in scope to strictly electrical stimulation for the purpose of pain relief. This means that for the most cutting-edge surgery and treatment options, it’s necessary to find surgeons outside of the US. Celeste has found a clinic in Guadalajara, Mexico, that uses not only a stimulator device but also incorporates mesenchymal stem cells to promote regrowth of new nerve cells in order to provide a more permanent solution. VeritaNeuro has developed a procedure called Lamispine to introduce responsibly cultivated stem cells directly into the injured area. Lamispine is a revolutionary way to help spinal cord injury survivors like Celeste regain some normalcy and independence in their lives.
But we can’t do it without you!
Medical insurance doesn’t cover this surgery,
so we need YOUR help.
Please consider donating to our cause. Even $5.00 makes a huge difference in helping Celeste accomplish the goal of walking again. Help her #slaythisdragon and donate today!
