Congrats to Dr. Manvar for successfully completing the Dorsal Root Ganglion Course in Nashville, TN this weekend!! What is DRG? Well let us dive right in!

When pain racks your body, whether it’s localized in one area or widespread, it changes your life. You become unable to participate in the regular, everyday activities you once enjoyed. Simple tasks like tying your shoes, walking your dog, or even checking the mail are excruciating. You may also become irritable, moody, or depressed, which can affect your relationships and your job.

If this sounds like you, you may have complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) or pain after spine and joint surgery, and you’ve already tried nearly everything to ease your symptoms.

But if you haven’t tried dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation yet, it just might be your answer.

How does spinal cord stimulation therapy work for chronic pain?

When nothing else stops your pain, it may be best to stop your brain from registering pain signals. To do this, Dr. Manvar places a small electrode into the epidural space, and a tiny generator or battery nearby in your upper buttock. Using an external remote device, you can control your pain by interrupting the nerve’s electrical pain signals. This technology has been available for nearly 50 years and has improved over time, with smaller devices and more effective results.

SCS works by sending mild electrical pulses to nerves along the spinal column. The pulses interrupt pain signals before they reach the brain. SCS therapy essentially tricks the brain into feeling only numbness or a mild tingling sensation, instead of the constant searing agony of incurable chronic pain.

Currently, the primary use of SCS is to help avoid a back surgery that may prove to be futile. The second most common application of SCS is to alleviate the intolerable pain associated with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). SCS is also used to relieve peripheral neuropathic pain related to nerve damage from viral infection, surgery, or diabetes.

But spinal cord stimulation may not capture specific pain in the knee, foot, hip or groin.

What is dorsal root ganglion stimulation?

Much like SCS, DRG stimulation interrupts the pain messages your nerves send out, but it’s even more precise. DRG electrodes have leads that are placed directly over the dorsal ganglion root, which is the nerve hub in your spine that receives sensory information from other parts of your body. DRG stimulation is a newer technology and has been shown more effective at stopping pain in the knee, feet, chest, stomach, pelvic region and groin.

What are the advantages of DRG stimulation over standard SCS stimulation?

• SCS stimulation is sent to the entire spinal column. DRG stimulation is tightly focused on the nerves associated with a specific area of pain. This delivers more effective interruption of pain signals. It also reduces the intensity of the numbness and tingling which replace the pain signals.
• Lower energy requirements. DRG stimulation uses only about 10% of the energy required for traditional SCS. This leads to longer-lasting batteries and correspondingly less need for replacement surgeries.

Why is Integrative Pain & Spine is your best choice for pain management?

We approach our work armed with tried and true medical techniques and state-of-the-art regenerative strategies bred from sports medicine and the neurological sciences.

Our team is solely dedicated to minimizing or eradicating pain by resolving the underlying conditions that cause the pain. We are proud that we consistently achieve that goal and successfully enhance our patients’ overall quality of life.

To request more information or schedule a consultation, please call (704) 317-1440 or make your appointment online.