PNS (Peripheral Nerve Stimulation)
PNS is used to treat long term pain when other treatments have failed. It is one of the three methods of nerve stimulation used to treat pain: TENS (electrodes on the skin), PNS (electrodes under the skin) and Spinal stimulation (electrodes in the spine)
.An electrical wire is implanted, but not to the spine, instead near to a nerve that is causing trouble. Electrical pulses are sent along the wire to block the pain. The wire is normally left in place for 60 days and then removed. At least in some cases the pain relief carries on after the wire is taken out. The pulse generator may be external or implanted under the skin.
A review of reports of the use of PNS to relieve coccyx pain concluded that "neuromodulation may be a viable treatment option for carefully selected candidates with chronic coccydynia that is resistant to conservative therapy and/or surgery", but added that more detailed studies were needed.
There is more information on PNS from UK NHS (PDF) and Novus Spine Center
Updated 2024-02-26
