Lumbar Spine Pain. Nerve Ablation & Spinal Cord Stimulator

I have not had nerve ablation. They did facet injections at 3 levels and only one level helped ease the pain for a week. I do have a permanent SCS and it is so much better than 100% pain all of these decades! I had it implanted Dec 2015. It takes that full blown pain away enough to function. But it does not cover the entire painful areas. Worth the trial if you have insurance.

I am also having a Nerve Ablation done in October and can't wait. I had anaesthetic injections put into the area where I have the pain in my lower back to make sure the pain was in that area and not referred pain. As soon as I had the injections the pain was gone it only lasted 6hrs and I felt amazing no pain. I have also had steriod injections done in my very lower back into the nerves and that worked after 12 days and in that area the pain has not come back. Also I have had vertoplasty cement injections into the fractures in my spine. My brothers Freind has just undergone nerve Ablation and as soon as he came out of hospital he had no pain. He had one side done then the other 3 weeks later. He now feels amazing. When I spoke to him about his procedure he said that everyone is different. So here is hoping that it take the pain away. My doctor also said that once the nerves have been Lasered He will also inject steroids into the same area. I truly hope all goes well for you as pain is a unseen illness and no one can understand how it takes so much of your life away. I wish you all the good luck. J

Hi I've got a SCS implanted, best decision I ever made. Mine controls my peripheral neuropathy from waist to my feet. I was in a wheelchair unable to walk due to the pain in my feet. The test promised to be promising to me, instant part was gone I walked out on my own. I've had it for 11 years now about due for a upgrade.

Hi, yes i have had a spinal cord stimulator fitted. This is my second one now. The first one was meant to last me 3-5 years, but because i had it on constantly it only lasted 2 years. I had a rechargeable one fitted in 2014. I agree with BigBadBack that it does not cover the entire painful areas but it is worth having done, i couldn't live without mine. I had a slipped disc touching a nerve a few years ago and have suffered with my back ever since. I have had operations and also anaesthetic injections in my lower back. They helped me for a while but every 6 months i was going back to the hospital to have this done, so in the end i was offered the spinal cord stimulator in my back. I hope everything goes well for you.

Thank you everyone. I'm willing to try literally anything to get some sort of normal life back. I have already made the decision to accept a spinal cord stimulator if the consultants agree that I'm suitable for a trial and a permanent fitting. I've spent three years since my first lumbar surgery taking increasing amounts of pain relief until I was not a functioning human being. Sleeping all night and most of the day and going into work in agony because I couldn't take my pain relief. I'm lucky that I live in the U.K and as I also have an under active Thyroid I get free prescription drugs, I would have been bankrupt if I had to pay for all my drugs every month.

have had tens machine and it did not help at all.

I dont know what nerve ablation is but i have had a spinal colomb stimulator put in ....but also had it removed .....mine was fitted about 6 yrs ago and at first it helped but after awhile it moved and caused more pain they took it out and wanted to put another in last year but i said no, i couldnt go through it all again and not get relief i wasnt prepared to take the chance and have the same problem.

They did say the stimulators had improved since i had mine so it may work for you this was only my experience.

Good luck.