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Around 21% of the United States population – 51.6 million people – suffer from chronic pain, and many struggle with it for years. Living with chronic pain can feel overwhelming, especially when treatments like physical therapy, medications, and steroid injections don’t seem to help.
If you’ve tried everything and still struggle with persistent pain, a spinal cord stimulator might provide the relief you need. This device works by blocking pain signals before they reach your brain, offering significant and long-lasting relief.
At Silver Spine & Neurological Center - Interventional Pain Management & Spine Surgery, our double board-certified neurosurgeon, M. Viktor Silver, MD, FACS, FRCS, frequently performs spinal cord stimulator implantation to help patients whose pain remains despite other treatments.
Dr. Silver has over 20 years of experience in outpatient spinal surgeries and interventional pain management. He’s highly skilled in both surgical and nonsurgical approaches, so you know he’ll recommend the solution that’s right for you.
Here’s a closer look at how spinal cord stimulators work, the conditions they treat, and how to determine if you’re a candidate.
Pain signals from different parts of your body travel along your spinal cord to your brain. A spinal cord stimulator interrupts this process by sending mild electrical impulses to the spinal cord, preventing the brain from receiving pain signals.
Without those signals, your brain doesn’t register the pain, which can significantly reduce your discomfort.
An SCS device consists of thin wires (electrodes) and a small battery-powered pulse generator. Dr. Silver places the electrodes in the space near your spinal cord and implants the generator under your skin, usually in the lower back or buttock area.
You can control the stimulation levels using a remote device, allowing you to customize the treatment for maximum comfort.
Spinal cord stimulators help manage chronic pain caused by a variety of conditions, including:
While SCS devices are versatile, they most often treat chronic back, neck, and leg pain that doesn’t respond to other treatments.
Spinal cord stimulators aren’t the first line of treatment for chronic pain. We always recommend trying other methods first, such as:
If these approaches don’t work, spinal cord stimulation might be an option. However, we must also consider other factors to determine whether you’re a suitable candidate. For example, would surgery be a better option for your condition, and how willing are you to have surgery?
We also need to determine if you have any untreated mental health conditions like depression, substance use disorder, or other health issues that might complicate the implantation process.
If your evaluation confirms that spinal cord stimulation is a viable option, the next stage is a trial to see if the treatment works for you.
Before fully committing to a spinal cord stimulator, you undergo a trial period to determine if the device effectively relieves your pain.
During the trial, Dr. Silver places temporary electrodes in your spinal area, and you use an external generator to deliver stimulation. You test the device for about a week to see how well it works for you.
If the trial provides significant pain relief, you can proceed with the permanent implantation. Research shows that about 90% of patients experience meaningful pain reduction with an SCS trial, making it a promising option.
Many patients experience significant and lasting pain reduction, which makes daily activities more manageable. Spinal cord stimulation doesn’t rely on medications, so you avoid the risk of dependency. It’s also customizable, so you can adjust the stimulation levels for optimal comfort.
Chronic pain doesn’t have to control your life. If other treatments haven’t worked, a spinal cord stimulator could provide the relief you’re searching for. If you think you’re a candidate for spinal cord stimulation, we can assess your condition, guide you through the process, and help you take the first step toward lasting pain relief.
Call Silver Spine & Neurological Center - Interventional Pain Management & Spine Surgery to arrange an evaluation, or use the online inquiry form to get in touch.