At the Stony Brook Neuromodulation Center, we use neuromodulation therapy to treat and enhance quality of life in individuals who suffer from a severe chronic illness. In many cases, the use of neuromodulation can be life-changing.
The disorders we treat with various forms of neuromodulation therapy include:
Depression
Diabetic Neuropathy
Depression: When a person with depression fails to respond to two or more types of antidepressant treatment, such as medication or talk therapy, their condition is called treatment resistant depression. It means that the tools an individual has to help, don't match the extent of the challenges and magnitude of the problems the person faces. Fortunately, psychiatry is now at a stage where there are new and exciting technologies and treatment solutions that are transforming the field and people's lives every day.
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
- Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
- Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
Diabetic Neuropathy: Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is a type of nerve damage that can occur in people with diabetes. Symptoms can range from pain and numbness in your feet to problems with the functions of your internal organs, such as your heart and bladder. Triggers include high blood glucose levels (blood sugar) and high levels of fats, such as triglyceides in the blood. In many cases, treatments such as managing blood sugar or using medications can provide relief. However, when these forms of treatment don't result in lessening the pain and discomfort, neuromodulation therapy may be an option. Stony Brook now offers, HFX™, a new FDA approval spinal cord stimulation (SCS) system that has a specific indication to treat PDN. It is customized to each individual's pain. Therapy using the HFX™ system is for six months and people who receive this therapy report an average of 76 percent pain relief. It works by delivering gentle electrical impulses to the affected nerves, helping to decrease pain by blocking pain signals from reaching the brain.
- Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)
Dystonia: This is a type of movement disorder that is characterized by involuntary muscle contractions that cause slow repetitive movements or abnormal postures. For some individuals with dystonia, this may present itself as a tremor. The disorder tends to progress slowly and the severity of a person's symptoms can vary from one day to another. Some causes of dystonia include a birth injury, certain infections, reactions to certain drugs, heavy metal or carbon monoxide poisoning, trauma or stroke. Once reserved for only severe cases of dystonia, neuromodulation therapy is now being used to treat a greater variety of dystonia patients than ever before.
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
Epilepsy: This central nervous system disorder is characterized by multiple seizures. It may be related to genetic factors or structural abnormalities of the brain, or the brain metabolism, and can begin in infancy and childhood. A person can also get epilepsy during the course of their life due to an infection of the brain trauma, tumors or stroke. When no cause is found, the term "idopathic" is used, which may mean that one has to look harder for a proper diagnosis. Approximately one third of people with epilepsy who have tried anti-seizure medications may still suffer from frequent and disabling seizures. For some of these patients, surgery may be an option. For those who can't have surgery, either because they have more than one area from where seizures are coming from, or because the region that seizures are coming from is providing an important function such as language or memory, neuromodulation treatment may be an option. Though not typically a cure, these neuromodulation treatments, which use an electrical device known as a pacer, can significantly reduce seizure frequency over time.
Essential tremor: Often confused with Parkinson's disease, essential tremor is a nervous system disorder that can cause a person's are to shake rhythmically when the arms are being used to perform a function. These functions may include eating, writing, dressing, drinking or when holding a posture such as with the arms outstretched in front of the body. The tremor can also affect the head, voice, legs and trunk. Some people even feel an internal shake. Neuromodulation therapy can help to significantly reduce this rhythmic shaking over a period of time, allowing a person to perform simple self-care tasks they might otherwise be unable to perform.
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
Hearing loss: It's common to experience a gradual loss of hearing as a person ages. Chronic exposure to loud noises can also contribute to hearing loss. Other factors such as excessive earwax can temporarily reduce how well your ears capture and process sounds. Because hearing loss can have a significant effect on a person's quality of life, many people with hearing loss use hearing aids. However, some people with severe hearing loss receive limited benefits from hearing aids. For these individuals, a small electronic device known as a cochlear implant may be an option. A cochlear implant electronically stimulates the nerve responsible for hearing to help restore or improve the ability to hear and understand speech.
Parkinson’s disease: This brain disorder, which is also known as simply "Parkinson's" leads to shaking, stiffness and difficulty with walking balance and coordination. Parkinson's symptoms usually begin gradually and get worse over time. As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty walking and talking. Neuromodultaion therapy can help to significantly reduce the shaking that is often associated with Parkinson's, allowing a person to function in a manner that provides them more control over life's everyday activities.
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
Spinal cord pain: Age-related wear and tear can cause progressively deteriorating (degenerative) conditions such as spinal stenosis, where there's an abnormal narrowing of the spinal cord — usually in the neck and lower back — that results in painful, chronic pressure on the nerve roots of the spine. Other causes of spinal cord pain include tumors, trauma, revision surgery, deformity and scoliosis (a sideway curvature of the spine). In many cases, medications and surgery can provide relief for chronic spinal cord pain. However, when these forms of treatment don't result in lessening the pain and discomfort, neuromodulation therapy may be an option. Neuromodulation works by delivering gentle electrical impulses to the spinal cord or peripheral nerves, helping to decrease pain by blocking pain signals from reaching the brain.
Tourette’s disorder: This is a type of tic disorder in which multiple motor tics and at least one oral tic persist for at least 12 months. Motor tics often begin in the head and neck area, and can include eye blinking, nose movements, grimacing and shoulder shrugging. However, any part of the body can be involved, including the arms and legs. Verbal tics can range from sniffing and throat clearing to repeating syllables, words or sentences. Treatments vary depending on the individual and level of severity and may include medication, behavioral therapies and surgery. For the most severe cases, neuromodulation is an option. Continuous, gentle electrical pulses are sent to target areas of the brain. These pulses modify the abnormal activity in the area that is causing the motor and oral tics.
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)