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Around 20% of American adults live with pain that lasts for months and often years. Many of them have incurable conditions that they must endure for life.
Coping with chronic pain can feel overwhelming. At Silver Spine & Neurological Center - Interventional Pain Management & Spine Surgery, one of the approaches we recommend for patients with severe treatment-resistant pain is spinal cord stimulation (SCS).
Before we implant a permanent device, you undergo a short trial period to see how well SCS works for you. Here’s what you should know about the process.
A spinal cord stimulator sends mild electrical impulses along certain spinal nerves to block pain signals before they reach the brain. Instead of constant pain, many patients feel a light tingling, or with some systems, no sensation at all, other than a significant reduction in their discomfort.
SCS is especially helpful for conditions such as failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), nerve-related pain, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and long-lasting leg or lower back pain.
SCS isn’t typically the first treatment we offer, as we have a range of less-invasive options that are effective for managing most patients’ pain.
Typically, patients we recommend SCS to have already tried medications, physical therapy, injections, and even surgery without lasting success.
Good candidates often have nerve-related pain that has lasted at least six months and affects daily activities. Patients must also be free of active infections and in generally stable health.
Every patient experiences pain differently, and what works for one person may not work for another. The trial period is like a test drive, where for about 5–7 days, you use a temporary version of the stimulator to see if it improves your pain, function, and quality of life.
If it doesn’t help, we can easily remove the temporary wires and explore alternatives, such as an intrathecal pain pump.
Before the trial, we review your medical history, imaging studies, and previous treatments to confirm that you’re a good candidate.
You’ll also receive instructions about activity limits, how to care for the device, and what symptoms to track during the trial.
A trial procedure is minimally invasive and usually takes less than an hour. After numbing the skin with local anesthesia, we place thin wires (leads) into the epidural space of your spine using a needle and X-ray guidance.
The leads connect to an external device that you wear around your waist or on a belt. Since it isn’t a permanent implant, the procedure requires no significant incisions, and you can return home the same day.
We encourage you to perform those everyday activities that are within your capabilities during the trial. The goal is to see how well the SCS device reduces pain in real-life situations. Patients usually track:
It’s a good idea to keep a daily journal of your experience, noting all these factors and any other changes.
After about a week, you return to the clinic to review your results. We typically look for at least 50% pain relief, though improvements in sleep, activity, and reduced reliance on medication are also important factors. This helps decide whether moving forward with a permanent stimulator is the right choice.
If you choose to continue, we implant the permanent stimulator in a short outpatient surgery. The device is small, discreet, and rechargeable in many cases. You can also adjust the settings to match your pain levels.
Most patients can return to their normal activities within a few weeks, with restrictions on heavy lifting or twisting during the recovery period.
Many patients with spinal cord stimulators report long-term improvements not only in pain, but also in energy, mobility, and mood.
One of the most rewarding outcomes of SCS implantation is the freedom it can provide. Patients often find they rely less on opioid medications, experience fewer sleepless nights, and can re-engage with activities they once avoided.
An SCS trial is a safe, reversible step that allows you to explore whether this advanced therapy can bring you the relief you’ve been searching for.
At Silver Spine & Neurological Center, we support you throughout the trial so you can make an informed and confident decision. Call us to see if spinal cord stimulation could be the answer you’ve been looking for, or make contact via the online inquiry form.