Claxton-Hepburn

214 King Street Ogdensburg, NY 13669 www.claxtonhepburn.org The information in this magazine is not a substitute for medical advice or professional medical care. If you have a question about your health, please consult your physician. Scan this QR code with your smartphone to watch a video about how Claxton-Hepburn takes your health personally, or visit www.bit.ly/claxtontv. Chronic Pain, Be Gone Thanks to wireless technology made possible by St. Jude Medical, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center now offers patients a spinal cord stimulation trial device that is easier to tote around and navigate— because we understand you have more important things to deal with than annoying wires and confusing gadgets. CLAXTON-HEPBURN TAKES PRIDE in nding new and improved healthcare solutions for chronic pain, and being the rst facility in Northern New York to bring the innovative St. Jude Medical ™ Invisible Trial System to you is another guarantee on that promise. The Pain Center at Claxton-Hepburn has offered various forms of spinal cord stimulation therapy for almost a decade for patients with severe pain not treatable with other techniques. However, this newer trial system is more user-friendly than previous models because the external pulse generator is compact and easily concealable, not to mention it's controlled by Bluetooth wireless technology and an iPod application. Using spinal cord stimulation, low levels of electrical energy interrupt pain signals to the brain, reducing pain symptoms and sometimes making it possible to eliminate or reduce pain medication. "Spinal cord stimulation is a proven, effective therapy for treating chronic pain in intractable pain in certain of our patients, but without an effective trial system many patients are unable to properly evaluate the therapy," says Ross Dickstein, MD, pain management specialist at Claxton-Hepburn. "By providing access to a new trial system, St. Jude Medical is enabling more patients to gain access to a therapy that could bring about meaningful chronic pain relief and improved quality of life. Insurance usually covers the trial, up to the policy limits of copay and coinsurance. Prior approval from the insurance company and prior psychological clearance are required." Now, all you need to focus on is managing chronic pain, not lugging around wires and unfamiliar gadgets. To learn if you're a candidate for the St. Jude Medical Invisible Trial System, call 315-394-6470.

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