Who Is Not a Good Candidate for Spinal Cord Stimulator?

At Kentuckiana Pain Specialists in Louisville, KY, Dr. Ajith Nair is dedicated to providing you with lasting pain relief. Spinal cord stimulators are a great solution because they don’t have the harsh side effects of drugs. Read on to discover if you’re a candidate for a spinal cord stimulator.

How a spinal cord stimulator works

Pain happens when your nerves detect tissue damage in your body. From there, they fire off messages to your spinal cord and your brain. This entire process all happens within a microsecond and it’s how your body registers pain.

A spinal cord stimulator works by causing a disturbance in this cycle of communication so that the pain signals don’t register in your brain. Spinal cord stimulators don’t work by healing the root cause of pain, but by changing the way your brain registers pain. Instead of feeling chronic pain, you might feel fluttering, tingling, or nothing at all.

When we implant the stimulator, we place electrical wires on specific nerves in your back. These wires are attached to a battery pack that’s also implanted in your back. You can adjust the level of stimulation with a remote control that also turns the device on and off.

Explore all pain management treatments available at Kentuckiana Pain Specialists.

Are you a candidate for a spinal cord stimulator?

If you suffer from chronic pain, then a spinal cord stimulator could be the pain relief solution you’ve been looking for. To figure out if spinal cord stimulation is right for you, we put in a temporary stimulator with the battery pack placed outside of your body. The pack is small enough where you can clip it to your clothing.

During the trial period, which usually lasts a week or two, we take this time to see if the stimulator is working for you. If your pain decreases by 50% or more, you’re a good candidate for spinal cord stimulation.

From there, we perform a small operation to permanently insert the stimulator. The surgery is done under local anesthesia, intravenous sedation and in an outpatient setting, so you can return home after the anesthesia wears off.

If you suffer from chronic pain and want a solution that doesn’t involve harsh drugs or major surgery, then a spinal cord stimulator could be the right solution for you. To learn more, call us at 502-209-7283 or use online booking to set up an appointment today.

Learn about spinal cord stimulator costs and what to expect financially before and after the procedure.

Ajith Nair

Dr. Ajith Nair, MD | Founder & Medical Director, Kentuckiana Pain Specialists

Philosophy: “My mission is to help patients reclaim their lives through advanced interventional pain treatments that minimize opioid dependence and restore mobility.”
– Dr. Ajith Nair
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Credentials at a Glance

Board Certifications: American Board of Anesthesiology, American Board of Pain Medicine, American Board of Addiction Medicine, American Board of Physician Specialties (Anesthesiology)
Medical Degree: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, India (1992)
Academic Appointment: Gratis Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville
Hospital Affiliation: University of Louisville Hospital
NPI Registry:1295311058,
Verification link for certification:
American Board of Anesthesiology – Certification Matters

Biography:

Dr. Ajith Nair is a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain-management specialist with more than three decades of experience in interventional pain medicine. As the founder and medical director of Kentuckiana Pain Specialists, he leads a multidisciplinary team dedicated to providing minimally invasive treatments for chronic pain conditions. His approach focuses on precision-targeted therapies that reduce the need for long-term opioid use and improve patient quality of life.

Dr. Nair earned his medical degree from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University in 1992. He currently serves as a Gratis Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery at the University of Louisville, mentoring medical students and residents in interventional pain techniques. His clinical expertise includes spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal pain-pump implantation, and regenerative therapies.

Recognized as one of the leading pain-pump implanters in the Louisville region, Dr. Nair has been featured on WAVE 3 News for his work helping patients reduce their reliance on pain medications through advanced implantable technologies.

Areas of Expertise

Interventional Pain Management
Anesthesiology
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Spinal Cord Stimulation
Intrathecal Pain Pumps
Regenerative Therapies
Chronic Pain and Back Injury Treatment

Public Reputation & Professional Profiles

Healthgrades: https://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-ajith-nair-ylb28
Vitals: https://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Ajith_Nair.html
Healthline: https://care.healthline.com/find-care/provider/dr-ajith-nair-1073515227
WebMD: https://doctor.webmd.com/doctor/ajith-nair-151c358e-893c-4c45-8efc-287d5ce46d2b-overview
RateMDs: https://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/371931/Dr-Ajith-Nair-Louisville-KY.html
Healthcare4PPL: https://www.healthcare4ppl.com/physician/kentucky/louisville/ajith-nair-1073515227.html
Medical News Today: https://connect.medicalnewstoday.com/provider/dr-ajith-nair-1073515227
University of Louisville Profile: https://louisville.edu/medicine/departments/neurosurgery/ajith-nair

Media Recognition

WAVE 3 News: “Ditching Pain Pills for the Pump” (2018) – coverage of Dr. Nair’s leadership in targeted drug-delivery therapy https://www.wave3.com/story/36815760/tonight-at-11-ditching-pain-pills-for-the-pump/

MarketersMedia: Louisville Pain-Management Pump Implant Services Launch (2018) https://news.marketersmedia.com/louisville-ky-pain-management-intrathecal-pump-implant-services-launched/88997667