Judy's story: relief from sciatic nerve pain

Judy Minnick, a hairdresser for 42 years, suffered from sciatic nerve pain for three years from long work hours and being on her feet. After being unable to find relief herself, Minnick sought the help of Dr. Susan Anderson with the Liberty Hospital Pain Management Center.

"When the pain first began, I tried pain pills and over-the-counter treatments, but nothing was helping," Minnick said.

With the help of Dr. Anderson, Minnick tried injections and nerve blocks for the pain. Relief would last for a week before the pain would return. As a result, Minnick had to retire from her work.

A final treatment option was presented to Minnick with the hope that this would help give her relief and more mobility in life. Dr. Anderson recommended the SPRINT PNS system.

The SPRINT PNS system is a minimally invasive, drug-free procedure for relieving a wide variety of chronic pain conditions. With the use of a tiny wire called the MicroLeadTM, the system applies mild electric pulses to the nerve, blocking pain signals before they reach the brain. After about 60 days of therapy, the system is simply removed, and the patient can enjoy sustained pain relief.

"While this was my first time using the SPRINT system, I was excited to be able to offer it to my patient as a new treatment method. It provides great relief for patients, and the procedure is short with minimal discomfort," said Dr. Anderson.

Minnick had the procedure over a month ago, and so far she has seen waves of improvement.

"My pain is much better! I could not stand or cook without having to sit down constantly before the procedure. Just the other day, I cooked for my family and was able to do the entire meal without sitting down once. It was fabulous!" Minnick said.

Dr. Anderson is looking forward to this new treatment method for her patients who suffer from pain across the spectrum.

"It is excellent for low back pain, especially in patients who may have failed or no longer obtain relief from the ablation procedure. It may also be used for neck, shoulder, rib, knee, and sciatica pain. It has an application for certain types of headaches. It may also be used to provide relief for patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or neuropathic pain," said Dr. Anderson.

If you or someone you know is suffering from chronic pain, contact your doctor or call the Liberty Hospital Pain Management Center for your next steps at 816.407.2028.