Chronic knee and shoulder pain can erode your quality of life. If you’ve exhausted conservative treatments, your options often feel limited.
Here at Expert Pain in Houston, Texas, Ioannis Skaribas, MD, DABA, FASA, can offer more than just long-term medications, repeated injections, or surgery. Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is a non-pharmaceutical, minimally invasive option.
This Medicare-approved therapy offers targeted pain relief for your knee and/or shoulder by addressing the nerve signals responsible for chronic pain—without permanently altering anatomy or relying on systemic medications.
Keep reading to learn more about peripheral nerve stimulation.
Peripheral nerve stimulation is a therapy that uses mild electrical signals to calm the nerves that send pain messages to the brain. Your provider places a very small, flexible wire near the nerve causing your pain and delivers these gentle signals.
Instead of simply covering up pain, PNS helps change how the body sends pain signals. It allows the nervous system to relearn a healthier response and reduce pain over time.
The knee and shoulder are among the most commonly affected joints when it comes to chronic pain.
If you have any of these conditions, you may respond well to peripheral nerve stimulation:
These joints have clear, well-defined nerves that carry pain signals. This allows treatment to focus directly on the source of pain, providing more precise, targeted relief.
Peripheral nerve stimulation has advantages over some traditional pain treatments. It’s minimally invasive; Dr. Skaribas places the leads using image guidance, typically in an outpatient setting.
PNS means no reliance on long-term pain medications. You get focused relief on the specific nerves driving pain rather than the entire body.
Also know that the system can be removed if needed. Many patients experience sustained pain relief even after treatment ends.
For patients hesitant about surgery or concerned about medication side effects, PNS offers a compelling middle ground.
One of the most significant benefits of peripheral nerve stimulation is that it is Medicare-approved for appropriate candidates.
While Dr. Skaribas customizes care to your specific situation, PNS treatment generally follows a clear and patient-friendly process
He typically begins with a comprehensive assessment to ensure the pain source is appropriate for peripheral nerve stimulation.
During the procedure, Dr. Skaribas places a small lead near the targeted nerve using ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance. It’s typically quick and well-tolerated.
At Expert Pain, we offer the Nalu™ Neurostimulation System, a battery-free, micro-implantable pulse generator.
Advanced microelectronics power an extremely small, battery-free implant that delivers gentle stimulation. Its compact size and flexible external components allow precise targeting of specific nerves.
The stimulator delivers gentle pulses over several weeks, allowing your nervous system to recalibrate pain signaling. At the end of therapy, Dr. Skaribas removes the lead. It’s not a permanent implant.
Most people continue normal daily activities during treatment, often experiencing improved comfort and mobility.
Ask about PNS if you:
Dr. Skaribas will conduct a thorough assessment to determine whether PNS is appropriate for your shoulder or knee pain.
Peripheral nerve stimulation represents an important step forward in chronic pain management for knee and shoulder conditions. For many patients, it restores comfort and confidence in daily movement.
If chronic knee or shoulder pain is limiting your activities, contact Expert Pain today. We can explore your pain-management options together.
