Day of the procedure
PNS is performed as an outpatient procedure, meaning you go home the same day. The procedure itself typically takes 30 to 60 minutes and is done under local anesthesia with light sedation — no general anesthesia required.
Most patients are alert and mobile shortly after the procedure. You'll receive post-care instructions before leaving, and a follow-up is usually scheduled within the first week.
The first week
Mild soreness at the insertion site is normal and typically resolves within a few days. How soon a change in pain shows up varies from person to person, and ARC does not publish a figure for it — ask your physician what is usual for the system they use.
Activity restrictions during this period are minimal. You should avoid heavy lifting and high-impact exercise, but walking, light movement, and daily routines are encouraged.
Weeks two through four
By the second week, most patients have returned to their normal daily activities. Pain relief typically continues to improve as the body adjusts to stimulation.
Your physician may fine-tune stimulation settings during a follow-up visit to optimize pain relief. This adjustment process is non-invasive and takes only a few minutes.
Long-term outlook
PNS is designed for ongoing therapy when it works for you — not as a short course that inevitably wears off like many injections. In multicenter trial data summarized at 24 months, many participants maintained large pain reductions while continuing therapy; your experience may differ. Source: Practical Neurology summary of the COMFORT RCT (2026), https://practicalneurology.com/news/implantable-peripheral-nerve-stimulation-shows-durable-pain-relief-at-24-months/2485516/
Patients also report continued benefit over time in clinical practice, with periodic check-ins to ensure optimal device performance.
Because the procedure preserves the natural joint, your long-term mobility and function are maintained. If your condition changes, your physician can adjust the treatment plan — and because PNS is reversible, all future options remain available.
Compared to surgical recovery
For context, joint replacement typically requires 6 to 12 weeks of structured rehabilitation before returning to normal activities, and full recovery can take 3 to 6 months. PNS compresses that timeline dramatically — most patients measure recovery in days, not months.