Mac's Story*

Most people imagine life in the mountains to be simple, peaceful, and relaxing. However, chronic pain made enjoying the benefits of North Carolina’s Great Smokey Mountains difficult for Mac. He could not fully experience the natural beauty of his hometown because he had difficulty standing or walking for even 50 yards.

The chronic pain in his legs and feet started in high school and persisted for 40 long years. Mac tried to ignore it, but the pain affected every aspect of his life, including his work, his family, his hobbies, and his involvement in his church.

He specifically recalls the damage that chronic pain inflicted on his personal relationships. Mac says, “I was hard to live with. I was snapping at the ones who cared most for me. That made me feel worse. I had the mental pain of snapping at people to go along with my physical pain.”

In the course of his search for relief, Mac saw 35 doctors. They tried numerous treatments like massage, acupuncture, cold therapy, and medication. Unfortunately, these remedies were unsuccessful, and he did not like the way the strong medications made him feel like a different person. One day when he was at his pain clinic, his doctor gave him an informational DVD on neurostimulation from St. Jude Medical. After watching the DVD, Mac says, “I wanted neurostimulation the next day. It got to the point where I couldn’t stand the pain anymore.”

Mac’s neurostimulation temporary evaluation was successful, and he says, “I came home and felt so good that I walked a mile around a local track.” He decided to have a permanent system implanted, and after a quick recovery, his pain is now 80% gone.

Mac’s neurostimulation system allows him to lead a normal life without mood-altering pain medications; something he hasn’t had in years. He comments that “Everybody—customers, friends, family—has noticed the difference. They say, ‘He’s really mellowed out.’” Now that he can walk and stand comfortably, Mac also travels and goes to museums regularly.   

Mac encourages people considering neurostimulation to give it a try because “it’s so simple to find out if neurostimulation will help you.” He describes his life after neurostimulation by saying, “I just charge up my unit once a week, and life goes on. It’s been a wonderful thing for me.”

*The above testimonial is the experie

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**This website may provide links to other websites not affiliated with SJM.  SJM is not responsible for the content of other sites.

nce of this individual only. It is an individual result and we do not claim that it is representative of the experience that all or most patients achieve and is not indicative of future performance or success.