Spinal Cord Stimulation

What is spinal cord stimulation?

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an advanced treatment for pain that doesn’t improve with other methods. It uses electrical signals to disrupt the communication between your nerves and brain, so instead of feeling pain, you sense a tingling (paresthesia) or, with some models, no sensation.

The device that produces the electrical signals (pulse generator) is an implant your SEPA Pain and Spine provider places under your skin. Electrical wires connect the pulse generator to nerves in your spine, and you can change the settings with a remote control to provide round-the-clock pain reduction.

If your pain comes from the peripheral nerves rather than the nerves in your spinal canal, peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is also available.

Why might I need spinal cord stimulation?

Spinal cord stimulation is suitable for treating many causes of chronic pain, including:

• Sciatica
• Discogenic back pain
• Herniated discs
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
• Post-laminectomy syndrome (failed back surgery syndrome)
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathy
• Other forms of neuropathic (nerve) pain

These conditions often improve with conservative treatments, such as pain medication, anti-inflammatories, activity modification, and physical therapy.

More persistent or severe pain might require steroid injections, orthobiologic treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, or nerve blocks (local anesthetic injections). Another option is radiofrequency ablation, a procedure where your provider uses radio wave energy to destroy pain nerves.

If none of these treatments improves severe pain, spinal cord stimulation could be the answer.

What does spinal cord stimulator implantation involve?

Before committing to a permanent implant, you try spinal cord stimulation for a week to ensure it offers sufficient benefits. The implantation process is an outpatient procedure performed under a sedative and local anesthetic.

Your provider inserts the electrical wires through your skin, and you provide feedback so they can position the wires in the most beneficial place. The wires attach to an external pulse generator, producing the same effects as an implanted unit. Afterward, you return to SEPA Pain and Spine to report on the trial’s outcome.

If you have good results, you can undergo full implantation. Your provider positions the permanent impulse generator under your skin, usually on your buttock or back. You adjust the electrical pulse frequency and intensity using your remote control to manage pain.

Call SEPA Pain and Spine or book an appointment online today to see if you’re a good candidate for spinal cord stimulation.