PainCare - Pain Management in New Hampshire

With neuropathy and Charcot's disease, Louis was subject to pain all day, everyday. Even a spinal cord stimulator failed to bring substantial relief to his 30 years of suffering.

Since the occipital neuromodulation implant? He's "pain free..., and other things are happening that I can't believe are happening."

"The neuropathy, after 20-25 years is lessening. I'm getting feeling back in my legs.. back in my feet. I'm sleeping fantastically. Everything is just great."

The following videos, filmed over a span of four months, portrays the physical, mental and emotional improvements that Louis experienced as a result of his successful trial and permanent implant.

Louis' treatment was featured in a Manchester Union-Leader article.

One week post trial

One month post implant

Four months post implant

Dr. Greenspan:  [Louis] is an unusual patient because he already had a spinal cord stimulator placed years ago for his back. How many years ago was that done?

Louis: About three years ago.

Dr. Greenspan: Why did you have that procedure done?

Louis: For my legs, primarily, for my neuropathy, and I have Charcot's disease and arthritis.

Dr. Greenspan: How much pain relief were you getting with that stimulator device until recently?

Louis: I needed that device, along with a lot of other stuff, to get me down to about 50-60% [pain relief].

One-week post trial:

Dr. Greenspan: Last week we did the trial for the occipital stimulator. How did the trial go?

Louis: I wanted to play around with it a little. So I shut down the other one (spinal) and just turn this one on, because I wanted to see what it would do, and it took care of the whole thing. I haven't turned the other one back on. I have no pain.

Dr. Greenspan: How long until you got pain relief when you first turned this on?

Louis: About three hours.

Dr. Greenspan: How did the procedure itself go for the trial?

Louis: Fantastic. Twenty minutes.

Dr. Greenspan: Did you feel any pain with the procedure itself?

Louis: Just for a second [pressure]. Can't wait to have the permanent one put in.

One-month post implant:

Dr. Greenspan: How did the procedure go?

James (with no cane!): The procedure went fantastic. Had the stitches out this week. Feeling fantastic.

Dr. Greenspan: How long after the implant did you find things getting better?

Louis: Same day. [Just like with the trial.]

Dr. Greenspan: Did you continue to get pain after we pulled out the trial electrodes?

Louis: It was getting back to where it was before -- pain 24 hours a day.

Dr. Greenspan: So you've been pain free since [the implant]?

Louis: Pain free since, and other things are happening that I can't believe are happening. My neuropathy, after 20-25 years is lessening. I'm getting feeling back in my legs.. back in my feet. I'm sleeping fantastically with the sleep [program] on the machine. Everything is just great.

Dr. Greenspan: So, you were very enthusiastic before you had the implant.

Louis: Now I'm even more enthusiastic after the implant! I'm wondering when this is going to end, because it's getting better all the time.

Dr. Greenspan: What would you tell somebody who was thinking twice about going forward with this?

Louis: I'd tell them, "Get up here!" and I have, as you know, several times.

4 months post implant:

Dr. Greenspan: Here we are with Louis, four months after implantation, and as you can see he continues to lose weight at a very rapid pace.

Dr. Greenspan: So, how have you been doing?

Louis: Can't believe it. I have no pain and I got rid of 600mg/day of Lyrica. I'm doing fantastic; it's unbelievable. Where was it 30 years ago?

Dr. Greenspan: Any advice you want to give people who are thinking twice about this?

Louis: "Don't! It's the easiest, simplest thing. And if you can have it done, it'll change your life, that's for sure."

Dr. Greenspan: What would you say to somebody who says the relief you're getting is a placebo response?

Louis: I don't believe that. At first, maybe the meds were working together (with the procedure). But now, there's no doubt. There are no meds... This is doing it all by itself.

Dr. Greenspan: You're losing weight still, I see? And you're sleeping well at night?

Louis: Yep, it's all positive.

This procedure is performed by Dr. Joshua Greenspan at our Somersworth facility.

For more information, read Promising new treatment: Occipital Neuromodulation.