28 years ago, Lawanda fell down the stairs.
When the doctor handed her some medications and boots, she said it didn’t break, but every four to five months she would feel pain in the same area.
Finally, she went to the doctor again, which seemed to last longer than usual. There was a screen on her ankle as her feet had already started to turn inward and ended up having surgery on two poles.
Since her injury, Lauda’s husband has a spinal cord stimulator, which has brought huge effects to his back, legs and knee pain. But she never considered any external options, especially because her doctor was only… until three years ago.
Her foot pain dropped significantly. Eventually, she underwent surgery, but still not completely cured. When she walked through the APC parking lot one day, Dr. Malone happened to be walking towards her. “You’re in pain, aren’t you?” he said.
“Yes,” Lauda replied. “But I’m used to it. They said it won’t be better than that.”
Dr. Malone insists that she comes in and see what they can do.
A journey of advanced pain care
Advanced pain care takes a different approach when other doctors tell her the pain is always there. “I went to advanced pain care and they educated it,” she described.
After careful explanation and meeting with the patient ambassador, Lawanda decided to hold a trial of the spinal cord stimulator, not knowing how this would help, but rather her care and trust.
Late Pain Care is a multidisciplinary pain clinic, which means they have multiple specialties under one roof. Unlike traditional pain clinics in a single department, APC’s cross-functional practices can easily communicate with each other, so you don’t jump from doctor to doctor to get the answers you need. This means orthopedics, pain, rheumatology, neurology, pharmacy and now physical therapy are all under one roof, so you are an athlete who needs continuous physical therapy support, or has suffered from chronic pain for many years, APC The Discipline Office is there to provide you with the easiest way to relieve pain.
Transferring information and other doctors to assist is as easy as a simple call downstairs, downstairs or throughout the lobby. If you are near our Austin branch, you will experience a full multidisciplinary approach.
Related: Patient Focus: APC’s multidisciplinary pain management patient experience
Spinal cord stimulator tests and surgery: ways to treat chronic pain
test
The great thing about spinal cord stimulators is the ability to run them before undergoing surgery. Many patients have so positive experience with the trial that they can’t wait to have surgery to get it in completely!
This trial (which is a very minimal outpatient procedure) involves your doctor placing two small clues on your back and then attaching the box outside the body. The navigator will then give you a remote control to turn on the stimulator and then help you move around in your back. Even after surgery, you can control the stimulation and even turn off the machine if needed.
During Lawanda’s trial, her navigator asked her how she felt, helping her get rid of the chair, and before she knew it, she began walking for the first time in years, instead of lim shrinking.
“I Let’s go Clinic, but I Go out There is no pain in the clinic, I don’t want to give it back! ”
She immediately knew she wanted to appoint the surgery. Throughout the trial, she was not taking the medication at all and wanted to see how much work would be without it.
“I don’t need (medicine),” Lauda said. “I’m dancing, I’m dancing around behind my grandchildren, playing outside, walking, doing all kinds of things. I’m just not enough. I know they say I need to relax, but I want to make sure it works! I don’t want to continue Give it. ”
Operation
Even before the trial was over, Lawanda knew she wanted to arrange the surgery as soon as possible. Her pain care team held the trial and set up a date for permanent surgery.
For Lawanda, her timeline happened to be in 2020, when the world closed. But once things were running, the surgery could be rescheduled, she was in the operating room and placed a stimulator on April 11 the day before her birthday!
If you’re wondering what exactly is a spinal cord stimulator, here’s a little overview:
A spinal cord stimulator is a device that implants surgery near the abdomen and sends low-level currents to the brain to help bypass nerve pain in the brain.
Although other stimulators can sometimes cause uncomfortable stings, spinal cord stimulators are a more comfortable feeling.
Related: Spinal Cord Stimulator: What You Need to Know
Life after surgery
Apart from two routine adjustments, Lawanda has never returned to advanced pain care since then! She had total control over its strength, but rarely felt that she had to adjust it or turn it off.
“It keeps going, but I have nothing. I may feel twisted from time to time when it rains or snows, but it’s there is nothing Just like it used to be, it was no longer this nerve pain. ”
Lawanda works for the country’s infectious diseases and often works from other people’s homes. “I’m always in the wild, so it’s important that I’m not hurt all day. Now, I don’t have to stop or have people ask me if I need a break.”
Many patients with chronic pain, such as Lawanda, have spent years suffering from pain and are often told that their discomfort is incurable. But in APC, the pain stops here. We love serving patients in Texas and are always here to help you bring hope to your painful soothing journey.
Explore our location today!
