Considering a Pain Pump? Questions to Ask Your Health Care Providers

Pain pumps deliver pain medication directly into the space around the spinal cord. The medication delivered by a pain pump blocks pain signals that would normally travel to the brain. There are many questions an individual may want to ask their health care providers to help determine if a pain pump is a good choice for their specific condition.

General questions

• What are the benefits of having a pain pump?
• What degree of pain relief will a pain pump provide?
• Are more conservative treatments available?
• What are the potential risks and complications of having a pain pump?

Device questions

• Where will the pump be placed?
• Are there any activity limitations once the pump is in place?
• How long does the battery in the pump last?
• How long can the pump remain implanted?
• Why might the pump need to be removed or replaced? What does removal or replacement involve?

Medication questions

• What medication(s) will be used in the pain pump?
• What are the medication side effects?
• How long will it take for the medication to take effect?
• Will the medication be delivered continuously or at specific intervals of time?
• Can the dosage be increased or decreased if needed?
• What is the procedure for refilling the pump?
• How often will the pump need to be refilled? Who refills it?

Medical trial questions

• Will a trial phase be completed before having the pain pump implanted?
• What does a trial entail? How long does it last?
• What information from the trial will be used to help determine if a pain pump will be implanted?

Implantation procedure questions

• Where will the procedure take place? Who will perform the procedure?
• Will the procedure involve local or general anesthesia?
• Where will incisions be made?
• How long will the procedure take?
• What does recovery entail?
• What potential complications could occur?

Financial questions

• How much will the device, implantation, and medication cost?
• Are the device, procedure, and medication refills covered by insurance?
• Is pre-approval from the insurance company required?