SPINAL CORD STIMULATORS AND PROLOTHERAPY
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"Can I get Prolotherapy if I have a spinal cord stimulator?"
Ross A. Hauser, MD – Prolotherapy doctor
This is a question I get asked once or twice a year. When modern medicine fails to help someone's pain, despite high doses of narcotics, the final assault on their bodies is to implant a spinal cord stimulator. The spinal cord stimulator gives a small electric current to the person's spinal cord so the impulses of pain and injury are not felt as much. Typically the people are still on narcotics despite their spinal cords getting continually zapped.
Since Prolotherapy gets at the root cause of pain, it would be a good treatment for those on narcotics and those with spinal cord stimulators. The only thing I ask of patients is that they bring their X-rays showing exactly where the spinal cord stimulator is placed. As long as I can see where the stimulator electrodes are located (typically at the level of the upper lumbar vertebrae) then I can safely do Prolotherapy at the areas below this. Generally the pain is coming from the sacroiliac ligaments, iliolumbar ligaments and the levels of L4 and L5 which are generally two segments below where the spinal cord stimulator electrodes are located. In my experience, Prolotherapy injections to the above areas can be safely done without hitting the spinal cord stimulator or the electrodes.
For the person on a spinal cord stimulator to get completely healthy though, I also recommend a comprehensive natural medicine evaluation. Typically because of the severity of the chronic pain and multiple surgeries, disability, ….the person is in a state of hormone depletion. An aggressive course of anabolic natural hormones, eating right for his or her Diet Type, nutritional supplements, and, of course, Comprehensive Prolotherapy the person can be weaned off of narcotics and their spinal cord stimulator.
If you have chronic back pain, are taking pain medication, or have had a failed back surgery, please contact us for a Comprehensive Prolotherapy consultation.
Watch a Prolotherapy treatment to the low back:
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