Living with chronic pain that hasn’t responded to physical therapy, medications, or even surgery can feel like hitting a dead end. But today’s pain management isn’t what it used to be, and you deserve better than outdated treatments that don’t get to the root of the problem.
At Grand Rapids Pain, our board-certified interventional pain specialists, led by Dr. Keith Javery, DO, and Dr. Girish Juneja, MD, offer advanced, physician-led therapies like peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) to help patients regain control of their lives. If you’re ready for a more targeted, minimally invasive approach, we’re here to help. Schedule a consultation today to explore your next step.
Here are five signs that PNS may be the right solution for your pain.
1. You’ve Exhausted Traditional Chronic Pain Treatment Options
If you’ve tried physical therapy, medications, injections, or even surgery with limited success, you’re not alone. Many patients referred to Grand Rapids Pain have already been through months or even years of conservative care that only provides temporary relief.
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is not a first-line treatment, but it’s an advanced option for those who haven’t responded to:
- Prescription medications (with limited relief or side effects)
- Corticosteroid or nerve block injections
- TENS units or spinal cord stimulators (in select cases)
- Surgical interventions
In fact, many patients experience meaningful short-term relief with nerve blocks or steroid injections. However, relying on these treatments over time can pose risks due to repeated exposure. This often leads to a cycle of ongoing injections just to manage the pain.
If PNS is successful, it may significantly reduce or even eliminate the need for repeated corticosteroid or nerve block injections altogether. Instead of chasing temporary fixes, we help you explore a long-term solution that directly targets the nerves causing your pain.
Our specialists carefully review your history to determine whether neuromodulation makes sense for your situation and if PNS could be your next step forward.
2. You Have Chronic Nerve-Related Pain That Affects Function or Quality of Life
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is designed to relieve pain caused by damaged or dysfunctional peripheral nerves, not just temporarily mask it. And its biggest advantage? It can treat multiple areas where traditional pain interventions have often fallen short.
PNS has opened doors for treating pain in areas that previously had few long-term solutions, including:
- Shoulder pain even after shoulder replacement
- Knee pain, hip pain, ankle and foot pain
- Headaches, facial pain, and neck pain
- Low back pain, mid back pain, and shoulder blade pain
- Leg pain, pelvic pain, and joint-related pain in general
If your pain is well-localized and significantly interfering with your ability to move, sleep, or function emotionally, PNS may be a game-changing option.
Some of the most common conditions we treat with PNS include:
- Post-surgical neuropathic pain (e.g., knee, shoulder, hernia repairs)
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
- Chronic migraines or occipital neuralgia
- Chronic low back or pelvic pain
- Peripheral neuropathy from diabetes or trauma
This therapy can restore quality of life for patients whose pain has become a daily barrier to comfort, activity, or emotional well-being.
3. Your Pain Has a Clear Source And We Can Precisely Locate It
What sets Grand Rapids Pain apart is our diagnostic approach. We specialize in pinpointing the exact nerves contributing to your pain through advanced image-guided testing and selective nerve blocks.
This step is crucial in determining whether a peripheral nerve stimulator implant will be effective. We don’t rely on guesswork or one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, we map your pain, confirm the pain generator, and only proceed with treatment if we’re confident it will help.
Neuromodulation isn’t just about placing a device; it’s about ensuring the right nerve is being targeted for the right condition.
4. You’re a Good Medical Candidate for a Minimally Invasive Procedure
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is a minimally invasive treatment performed under local anesthesia. No general sedation, no hospital stay. Most patients return home the same day and begin to notice relief during a short trial period that typically lasts 3 to 7 days.
To be considered a strong candidate for PNS, you should:
- Be in generally stable health
- Not have untreated psychiatric or substance use conditions
- Be able to operate the external device (which is far simpler than a smartphone or even a TV remote!)
- Have realistic expectations and a desire for long-term pain relief
One of the things patients appreciate most is how non-disruptive this therapy is. PNS is:
- Reversible — nothing permanent
- Low risk — no implants in the spine
- Flexible — future treatments are still available if needed
There’s also no battery implanted inside your body. Instead, a tiny receiver about the size of a dime is worn externally and is virtually unnoticeable for most patients. The internal leads that deliver the stimulation are incredibly thin, so most patients don't even feel them.
If you’ve been hesitant about invasive surgery or spinal implants, PNS offers a refreshingly simple alternative that still delivers life-changing results.
For patients with spine-related pain, we also offer MIST 2.0. Our advanced suite of image-guided, minimally invasive procedures that go far beyond standard injections or therapy
5. You Want Direct Access to a Pain Physician—Not a Corporate Factory
At Grand Rapids Pain, you won’t find any middlemen or call center gatekeepers. Your care plan comes directly from one of our fellowship-trained, board-certified pain specialists, either Dr. Javery or Dr. Juneja, not a nurse practitioner or outsourced clinician.
Why does that matter?
Because neuromodulation and other advanced chronic pain treatment options require:
- Deep knowledge of nerve anatomy
- Real-time adjustments based on patient feedback
- Long-term follow-up and optimization
We don’t just perform procedures; we create long-term solutions tailored to you. It’s not 1999 anymore. Your pain shouldn’t be treated like it is.
The Role of Board-Certified Pain Specialists in Neuromodulation
Not all pain clinics are the same. At Grand Rapids Pain, your care is delivered directly by fellowship-trained, board-certified interventional pain physicians, not by mid-level providers or part-time specialists. This level of expertise allows us to go far beyond simple injections or medications, offering a full range of precision-based neuromodulation therapies.
Advanced Neuromodulation and Interventional Procedures We Offer:
- Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS): A targeted, non-spinal option for chronic nerve pain.
- Spinal Cord and Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) Stimulation: For spine and nerve root-related conditions.
- MIST 2.0 (Minimally Invasive Surgical Therapeutics): Image-guided spinal procedures that go well beyond standard injections.
Specialized Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) Techniques:
We don’t just offer one type of RFA—we tailor it to your specific pain source:
- Basivertebral Nerve Ablation (BVNA): A permanent solution for chronic low back pain caused by degenerative disc disease. This nerve never regenerates once ablated—offering lasting relief.
- Facet Joint Ablation: For spinal joint pain, offering 6+ months of relief from a 15–20 minute outpatient procedure.
This level of differentiation is crucial. Not all RFA is the same, and we ensure the right type is used for the right condition.
Cancer-Related Pain Management — When Medications Aren’t Enough:
Many patients with advanced cancer still suffer from severe pain, even with high-dose opioids, patches, or injections. In fact, studies show that up to 33–40% of end-of-life patients experience significant pain despite aggressive medication regimens.
That’s where interventional techniques shine. We offer targeted, medication-sparing therapies to improve comfort and dignity even when other methods fall short.
Complex Pain Syndromes We Commonly Treat:
- CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)
- Post-surgical nerve pain
- Neuropathic pain syndromes unresponsive to conservative care
Our goal is always to reduce your pain, restore your function, and minimize your need for medications using the most advanced, least invasive methods available. Whether your pain is spinal, nerve-based, joint-related, or post-surgical, we treat it from head to toe with precision and compassion.
Why Choose Grand Rapids Pain?
At Grand Rapids Pain, you’re not just another case file. You receive care from the most experienced, physician-led interventional pain clinic in West Michigan—where every diagnosis is precise, every treatment is personalized, and every patient matters.
Patients turn to us when standard care no longer works, and they’re ready for someone who can truly take the lead.
What Sets Us Apart:
- Every care plan is 100% customized and physician-directed
- You’ll always have direct access to your doctor, no gatekeepers, no call center middlemen
- We prioritize minimally invasive, non-opioid therapies that preserve future treatment options
- We treat the full spectrum of chronic pain from back and neck to nerve, joint, and post-operative pain
And when we say “full spectrum,” we mean it. From head to toe, from bow to stern, front to back, if there’s a nerve or structure in the body causing pain, we’ve likely already treated it. As Dr. Javery often jokes with patients and referring providers:
“Use your imagination. There’s not an area of the body Grand Rapids Pain hasn’t successfully treated.”
Explore our treatments or call us today at (616) 727-0083 to learn if neuromodulation is right for you.
The Next Era in Pain Management Starts Here
We’re entering a new chapter in interventional pain medicine—one where chronic pain no longer means lifelong suffering. Therapies like peripheral nerve stimulation are moving us far beyond the old “band-aid” approach of medications and injections, offering lasting, functional solutions that actually restore quality of life.
At Grand Rapids Pain, we don’t operate like most “pain clinics.” We believe the term itself often undersells what true interventional pain medicine can achieve. Our system, our tools, and our physician-led expertise are on the cutting edge of a treatment revolution. One that’s helping patients regain control of their lives when everything else has failed.
We’re not here to mask pain. We’re here to eliminate it at the source. And we’ll keep repeating that message because it matters.
If your pain hasn’t responded to typical treatments, schedule a consultation. We’re here to help you reclaim your life—one nerve at a time.
