Neurodulation for Pain Control
The nervous system entails the brain, spinal cord and all the wire-like peripheral nerves. For proper bodily function, information about the state of almost every body part is transmitted by way of the peripheral nerves through the spinal cord to the brain for appraisal and processing. Once processed the brain sends signals back down through the spine out through the peripheral nerves and makes adjustments to various structures in the body. This allows the body to conform to changing needs and make important corrections to ensure ideal functioning and health and fitness. Virtually any interruption along the course of this loop from the periphery to the brain and back, can bring about ill-health, pain or other ailments. We can visualize the brain, spinal cord and neuronS as a incredibly complex communication network. How complex? Well picture this; if you could lay all the nerve fibers cris-crossing the human body end-to-end, you would literally have miles of nerve fibers. These miles of fibers all be working as wires carrying and organizing information coming from and going to various parts of the entire body. It is this impressive coördination data traveling by way of the neural structures that allow for humans to accomplish remarkable things like dancing ballet and playing baseball.
However, because of its complexity, traumas, sickness or injury to the nerve fibres causes severe disability even effecting ordinary everyday abilities. The communication complexity of the nervous system also helps make neurological associated conditions very difficult to proficiently treat. Presently there are a few medications which can offer relief from nerve-type suffering and even lesser number of that can actually repair damage inside ailing neural structures. In addition, most drugs employed to treat nerve fibres ailments also come along with annoying unwanted effects. Taken together, these facts about treatment of nerve-related illness leave most affected individuals distressed and dissatisfied.
Having said that, research coming from the domain of neuroscience is starting to deliver hope to patients with assorted forms of nervous system ailments. Whilst it is indeed true that few, if any, prescription drugs can restore the nerve fibres, investigators are discovering that extremely special types of physical activity aimed exclusively at the "weak link" inside the neural communications network might and do repair and improve lost nervous system performance.
Let me tell you about just about the most appealing breakthrough findings in the field of rehabilitation of the nerve fibres. It is a development that scientists call neuro-plasticity. Now neuroplasticity is a strange expression for sure, but neuroplasticity simply means that the nerve fibres, unlike copper wires and cables found in an electrical communications network, is moldable and changeable. It means that the damaged portions of the nervous system may be shaped and reshaped and reworked and have potential for recovery.
In fact even in the most difficult nervous systems ailments like traumatic brain injury, stroke or even spine injury, may very well with specific and optimal stimulation be remodeled and reworked and to a certain level repaired!
The discovery of this property, neuroplasticity, within the nerves has offered more hope for more people suffering from neurological diseases than any other discovery in the field of neuroscience.
Throughout the last few decades neuroscientists have considered strategies to makes use of the plasticity inside nervous system to create more potent treatments for various kinds of neurological conditions.
Many of the most promising developments have come in the field of debilitating pain treatment. Recently a totally new field of treatment for nerve related pain has emerged.
It is called Neuromodulation.
Neuromodulation is the science of taking control over lost function within the nervous system by electrical and other kinds of stimulation. It is true that the general ideas of electrical stimulation of the nerve fibres have been around for a long time. What makes Neuromodulation both new and exciting is the fact that research workers discovered techniques to use electrical stimulation that can shut off over-active nerves, awaken sluggish nerves and most notably (as time passes) to remodel the nerve fibres for the purpose of nerve repair and rehabilitation.
Neuromodulation, based on the newly observed attributes of neuroplasticity, when combined with electrical stimulation and training very often can make long-lasting therapeutic alterations within the nervous system. The study and application of Neuromodulation is an exploding niche within the neurosciences.
One common example of applied Neuromodulation is the cardiac pacemaker. We all know someone who has a pacemaker. Well the cardiac pacemaker is a primitive example of Neuromodulation. It employs an electrical signal to replace the lost function of the machinery within the heart which is responsible for controlling the rate and rhythm of heart contraction.
Variations of this general theory are in differing levels of development for possible treatment of persistent pain, seizures, headaches, depression, and many other disorders. The list of conditions that seem to be candidates for treatment through modulation of the nervous system via artificial stimulation continues to grow dramatically. Very often techniques of Neuromodulation are proving successful with even the most difficult problems. Even after all other treatment plans including medical procedures has failed.
So you might be wondering, "What is the flipside?"
The answer to this question is a good news-bad news-good news scenario.
The good news, really great news, is that techniques of Neuromodulation are offering genuine hope for folks suffering from various types of difficult-to-treat neurological disorders. The bad news is the fact most current techniques of Neuromodulation (just like a cardiac pacemaker) require surgery and implantation of the electric powered stimulator internally. Consequently they are invasive and carry the many dangers connected with surgery. In addition, it means that any sort of breakdown of the apparatus requires additional surgery to repair or replace malfunctioning components.
However, the next wave of good news about Neuromodulation is newly released research that suggests non-invasive (non-surgical) external Neuromodulation could be achievable and efficacious.
Currently non-surgical Neuromodulation of the brain may be workable making use of transcranial stimulation. This is accomplished by using a specific type of light electric current applied through electrodes located over the top of the head. The technique is called transcranial direct current stimulation or tDC for short. Current research suggests that this tDC procedure can enhance brain function in those areas of the brain that have decreased activity or may, based on the arrangement, be used to calm areas of the brain that are overactive.
There is robust scientific studies from in the world that suggests this simple non-invasive method of Neuromodulation might be valuable for the treatment of various kinds of nervous system dysfunction. A variation of this technique is being employed above the spine for treatment of chronic pain syndromes. This system of Neuromodulation is known as Transcutaneous Spinal Direct Current stimulation or ts-DC for short.
Studies shows that ts-DC can turn-off those portions of the spinal cord that are responsible for carrying pain signals from the body to the brain. Without the need for surgery or other invasive techniques. This is a very remarkable improvement for patients in chronic suffering.
The use of electrical stimulation to modulate the nerve fibres for the purpose of restoring lost function within the body is becoming commonplace. The knowledge resulting surgical procedures of Neuromodulation is driving the development of methods to use the nervous system to mend and restore lost function without the need for surgery.
The field of Neuromodulation should, as our comprehension of the nervous system expands, deliver more potent and less invasive methods to restore and repair malfunction within the nervous system. Stay tuned!
