catheter to the area around the spinal cord – similar to an epidural that women may have during childbirth. A pain pump may be a treatment option if all other traditional methods have failed to relieve an injured victims long-term symptoms. Because the medication is delivered directly to the spinal cord, a patient with a back injury’s symptoms can be controlled with a much smaller dose than is needed with oral medication. The goal of a drug pump is to better control symptoms and to reduce oral medications; thus reducing their associated side effects. Herndon Reston spine injury lawyer Doug Landau has seen some car crash and scaffold fall clients with stomach problems from strong pain medications, including ulcers and uneven pain control. Sometimes, the direct delivery of a pain pump or spine stimulator can bypass the stomach and avoid these problems and side effects.