Am I a Candidate for a Spinal Cord Stimulator?

Living with chronic back or nerve pain can be overwhelming, especially when treatments like medications, physical therapy, and injections don’t provide lasting relief. If that sounds familiar, a spinal cord stimulator might help. 

This innovative device can block pain signals before they reach your brain, offering life-changing relief for many patients. 

Dr. Dev Sen and our team at Prime Regenerative and Pain Management in Fredericksburg, Virginia, break down how spinal cord stimulators work and whether you might be a good candidate. 

What’s a spinal cord stimulator? 

A spinal cord stimulator (SCS) is a small medical device implanted near your spine. It delivers gentle electrical impulses to your spinal cord, which help mask or block pain signals before your brain perceives them. Key benefits of spinal cord stimulators include: 

• Significant reduction in chronic pain
• Decreased reliance on pain medications 
• Improved ability to perform daily activities
• Customizable stimulation settings for personalized relief 

SCS therapy doesn’t eliminate the source of your pain. It changes how your brain perceives it, providing meaningful relief when other treatments haven’t worked. 

Who might benefit from a spinal cord stimulator? 

You might be a candidate for a spinal cord stimulator if you have chronic pain that hasn’t improved with conservative treatment. Conditions we commonly treat with SCS include: 

• Failed back surgery syndrome 
• Chronic back or neck pain
• Sciatica (pain radiating down your legs) 
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
• Peripheral neuropathy 
• Nerve pain after surgeries or injuries 

We typically recommend SCS only after trying nonsurgical options like physical therapy, medications, or injections without success. 

Who’s a good candidate? 

Dr. Sen evaluates several factors to determine if SCS might work for you, including:

• Chronic pain lasting more than six months 
• Little or no relief from other treatments 
• Pain is nerve-related (neuropathic) 
• No untreated psychological conditions that could affect outcomes 

Also, you must be willing to complete a trial period before permanent implantation.

What to expect from the process

If you’re considered a good candidate for SCS, the process involves a few steps: 

Trial phase

We place temporary leads near your spine using a minimally invasive procedure. We then provide you with an external device to control the stimulation and see how it affects your pain. The trial period typically lasts 5-7 days. 

Permanent implantation

If the trial is successful, we implant a permanent device under your skin. We position the leads near your spinal cord and a small battery-powered generator in your lower back or abdomen. You have a hand-held controller to adjust your settings as needed for relief. 

Follow-up and adjustment 

After implantation, Dr. Sen works with you to fine-tune your stimulation settings for optimal pain relief. 

If you struggle with chronic pain that hasn’t responded to other treatments, spinal cord stimulation could be the solution you’re searching for. To learn if you’re a candidate, call us at 540-659-5414 or use our online tool to schedule an appointment with Dr. Sen today.