Spinal Cord Stimulator

How does a spinal cord stimulator relieve my pain?

A spinal cord stimulator uses mild electrical pulses to block pain signals traveling through the spinal nerves to your brain. When your brain doesn’t get the pain message, you won’t feel the full force of the pain.

After having a spinal cord stimulator implanted, most patients report a 50-70% drop in their pain; enough to make your pain more manageable and give you the opportunity to regain an active life.

What pain conditions do you treat with a spinal cord stimulator?

Spinal cord stimulation is a proven therapy for treating neuropathic pain. You can develop this type of pain from certain health conditions, such as:

• Diabetic neuropathy
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
• Facet joint osteoarthritis
• Herniated disc
• Spinal stenosis
• Sciatica

Spinal cord stimulation generally works well for chronic back, leg, and arm pain.

How do you implant a spinal cord stimulator?

Spinal cord stimulators consist of three parts: a generator, lead wires, and a controller. Your doctor at Advanced Pain Management implants the generator under your skin, usually placing it in the abdomen or upper buttock.

After threading the flexible lead wires along your spine, your doctor places electrodes near the spinal nerves transmitting pain signals. The electrodes are connected to the generator and your doctor programs the desired pulse strength and frequency using the controller.

How do I know if I am a good candidate for a spinal cord stimulator?

Your Advanced Pain Management doctor follows several steps to determine if you’re a good candidate. The process begins with a thorough review of your medical history.

You may be a good candidate if:

• Your pain has lasted three months or longer
• Other treatments haven’t relieved your pain
• Surgery isn’t likely to help or you can’t have surgery
• You don’t have any untreated drug addictions
• You don’t have a pacemaker or other contraindications
• You’re willing to take an active role in improving your quality of life

You must also clear a psychological evaluation and have a successful spinal cord stimulation trial.

What happens during my spinal cord stimulation trial?

Your doctor implants a temporary stimulator, then you wear the device for a minimum of 24 hours or as long as several weeks. If your trial is successful and your symptoms improve, your doctor implants the permanent stimulator.

If you have chronic pain and you’d like to consider a spinal cord stimulator, call Advanced Pain Management or schedule an appointment online.