When nerves cause chronic pain, doctors can 'jam the circuit'

**Nate** · #1 07-08-2010, 12:07 PM

When nerves cause chronic pain, doctors can 'jam the circuit'

Wednesday, March 24th 2010, 4:00 AM

THE SPECIALIST: DR. NIRIT WEISS ON NEUROSURGICAL

INTERVENTION FOR PAIN

"An assistant professor of neurosurgery at Mount Sinai, Nirit Weiss performs surgery on the brain, spine and spinal cord for tumors, trauma, degenerative disease and pain. She has performed 300 neuromodulation procedures for the treatment of debilitating, chronic pain over the past five years.
WHO’S AT RISK
Everyone experiences some temporary pain over the course of a lifetime, but up to 20% of adult Americans suffer from severe pain that doesn’t go away on its own. “Chronic pain is defined as pain that isn’t time-limited,” says Weiss. “It’s pain that didn’t end within the appropriate time frame.” In many cases, the pain isn’t severe enough to warrant intervention, while in others, people are taking chronic medication. Only a minority of chronic pain sufferers are debilitated enough to seek surgical intervention, but that still amounts to millions of patients each year.
Chronic pain is also called neuropathic pain syndrome because it results from a malfunction in the nerves, which signals a danger even though there is none. “Pain is intended to be the body’s defense mechanism against threats,” says Weiss. “But in some systems, the signals get crossed, and the pain mechanism fires even though there’s no structural abnormality.” In other words, the only thing “wrong” with these patients is that the nerves are causing pain. “The brain continues to perceive pain, even though there’s no longer a harmful trigger causing that pain,” says Weiss..."

Read more: When nerves cause chronic pain, doctors can 'jam the circuit'

**Hopeful933** · #2 07-08-2010, 02:55 PM

Sounds like an advanced Spinal Cord Stimulator. Cool!

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