Neuromodulation therapies use electrical, magnetic, or chemical stimuli to alter nerve activity to help restore physical function or relieve pain symptoms. Some methods are non-invasive, while others require surgical procedures.

Stimulation can be targeted to a dysfunctional brain focus, region, or network and delivered as a single treatment, continuously, on a duty cycle, or responsively in response to physiologic changes.

What is Neuromodulation Therapy?

Neuromodulation Therapy is an alternative to pain medication or surgery to help control chronic pain, including headaches and complex regional pain syndromes (CRPS). It also helps treat movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

People with migraines who don’t get relief from medications or acupuncture may benefit from neuromodulation treatment, too. In addition, FDA-approved devices can help reduce the number of migraine attacks over time.

Many types of neuromodulation devices are available, each designed to target specific nerves or areas of the brain. They are often noninvasive and effectively reduce chronic pain or movement disorder symptoms.

Using electrodes placed directly on the nerves, neuromodulation treatments can produce a natural response from the nerves, either inhibiting or stimulating pain signals. However, it is important to understand that every nervous system is different, and the response to a treatment will vary from person to person. This is why performing a trial before permanently implanting the device is important.

How Does Neuromodulation Therapy Work?

Neuromodulation Therapy is a treatment that uses electrical or temperature-altering devices to modify brain activity. Often used as an alternative to over-the-counter or prescription pain medication, neuromodulation therapy can help relieve chronic pain by blocking pain signals from reaching the brain.

It is a safe and effective approach to alleviating pain that may not respond well to other forms of pain relief. Unlike pain medications, neuromodulation therapies can be customized to each patient's needs and do not have the common side effects of opioids.

Neuromodulation therapy can disrupt pain signals by using electrodes placed near the nerve or nerve roots responsible for neuropathic pain. In addition to treating the pain, patients receive a tingling or numbing sensation that can make daily living more bearable.

What are the Side Effects of Neuromodulation Therapy?

Neuromodulation Therapy is a form of pain treatment that can offer patients more control over their pain and fewer side effects than opioids. This can help reduce office visits, hospitalizations, and reliance on opioids.

Neuromodulators are implanted under the skin or in the spine (with spinal cord stimulators). They can deliver drugs to targeted areas via an intrathecal pump or spinal cord stimulation.

Because everyone's nervous system is unique, the response to neuromodulation treatments will vary from patient to patient. For this reason, a trial procedure is usually performed before the device is permanently implanted in the body.

A neuromodulation is a promising option for many patients who have failed pharmacological treatment and suffered from chronic neuropathic pain. It offers a direct, noninvasive way to interact with the nervous system and is also more reversible than other surgical alternatives.

What are the Benefits of Neuromodulation Therapy?

Neuromodulation is an innovative therapy that treats pain without the side effects of prescription medications. It is a safe and effective treatment for patients with chronic pain and those who have been unsuccessful with other pain treatments.

Neurostimulation can treat various symptoms and disorders, including chronic pain, movement disorders, headaches, epilepsy, and sleep disorders. It can also help control specific conditions, such as diabetic neuropathy.

Essential tremor: Essential tremor is a common disorder that causes rhythmic shaking of the arms when doing simple tasks such as eating, writing, dressing, or drinking. It can also affect the head, legs, and trunk.

Neuromodulation can also help reduce the severity of tics, such as those in Tourette’s disorder. The treatment involves sending continuous, gentle electrical pulses to target areas of the brain that control the tics. This can be very helpful to people with Tourette’s who have not found relief through medication or other therapies.