Stimulation & Implants
Intrathecal Pain Pump Therapy
An intrathecal pain pump delivers pain medication directly into the fluid around the spinal cord, using a fraction of the dose that pills require. It is considered for carefully selected patients whose severe chronic or cancer pain has not been controlled by oral medication, and a trial dose always comes first.
Request an AppointmentWhat is an
Intrathecal Pain Pump?
An intrathecal pain pump is a small implanted device that stores pain medication and releases it in carefully programmed doses throughout the day.
The medication travels through a thin catheter into the intrathecal space, the fluid-filled area around the spinal cord, reaching the nervous system's pain pathways far more directly than a pill ever could.
Because the medication is delivered closer to those pathways, much smaller doses may be used than with oral medication. High doses of oral pain medication can cause sedation, fatigue, confusion, nausea, or constipation; targeted delivery aims for pain control with comfort and clarity intact.
Before a permanent pump is considered, a trial or evaluation determines whether intrathecal delivery is likely to help. If a pump is recommended, the device is implanted under the skin, usually in the abdomen, then programmed and adjusted over time with regular follow-up visits for refills and dose management.
Dr. Nair has implanted hundreds of these pumps over more than 20 years. He is one of the largest pain pump implanters in the Louisville region.
Medication delivered at the spinal fluid can achieve relief with far smaller doses than pills require, often reducing systemic side effects.
Before any permanent pump, temporary injections confirm that targeted delivery provides meaningful relief for your specific condition.
The pump releases carefully scheduled doses throughout the day, and programming is adjusted at follow-up visits as your needs change.
Refills and monitoring happen on a regular schedule with Dr. Nair's team. Your therapy is managed, never set-and-forgotten.
Am I a candidate for a pain pump?
When pills demand more and give less, we deliver relief directly to the source.
Intrathecal pain pump therapy is not appropriate for every patient and requires a full medical evaluation. It may be considered for patients with:
Severe Chronic Pain
Severe chronic pain that limits daily life.
Cancer-Related Pain
Pain associated with cancer or its treatment.
Poor Response to Oral Medication
Pain that has not responded well to oral medication.
High Medication Needs
Pain that requires high medication doses.
Difficult Medication Side Effects
Side effects that affect daily function.
Complex, Long-Term Pain
Complex conditions requiring long-term management.
Common questions about intrathecal pain pump therapy
It is an implanted device that delivers pain medication directly into the spinal fluid through a catheter.
What is an intrathecal pain pump?
It is an implanted device that delivers pain medication directly into the spinal fluid through a catheter.
Ready when you are.
Smaller Doses.
Greater Relief.
If oral medication is costing you more than it gives, ask Dr. Nair, one of the region's most experienced pump implanters, whether targeted delivery fits your pain.
Prefer to talk? Call (502) 995-4004, answered 24/7.
Medically reviewed by Ajith Nair, M.D., Founder & Medical Director at Kentuckiana Pain Specialists. This page is for education and is not a substitute for a personalized medical consultation.
Last medically reviewed July 2026Updated