A method of stimulating a renal nerve in a human patient comprising, selecting a span of renal artery in the patient for implantation of a self-expanding stent, the artery having a first internal diameter, an artery wall, and being surrounded by peri-adventitial space through which at least one renal nerve extends measuring the first internal diameter selecting a self-expanding stent configured to be capable of expanding to have a second diameter that, in an expanded condition once implanted within the artery, is between 2 mm and 4 mm larger than the first diameter implanting the stent in the span of the renal artery, whereby the stent eventually expands to the second diameter and thereby passes through the artery wall to become embedded in peri-advential space and at least partially blocking the renal nerve or modulating a function of the nerve.
