Spinal Cord Stimulation

When medical or surgical interventions fail to relieve chronic pain, it’s time to consider spinal cord stimulation (SCS). At Silver Spine & Neurological Center — Interventional Pain Management & Spine Surgery in Sherman, Greenville, and McKinney, Texas, minimally invasive and complex spine neurosurgeon M. Viktor Silver, MD, FACS, FRCS, has transformed lives with SCS, treating people with chronic back pain, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and diabetic neuropathy. Call the office nearest you today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about spinal cord stimulation.

What is spinal cord stimulation?

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a treatment for chronic pain conditions that fail to improve with other medical or surgical interventions. SCS is a device that uses mild electrical currents to block the transmission of pain signals from the spine to the brain. 

Dr. Silver is a neurosurgeon experienced in minimally invasive and complex surgery and has helped hundreds of people get positive, life-changing results from SCS. The skilled neurosurgeon is also one of only a few physicians trained in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation.

DRG are sensory nerves on the spinal column that provide sensory information from different areas of the body. DRG stimulation treats neuropathic conditions not responsive to traditional SCS. 

Am I a candidate for spinal cord stimulation?

Dr. Silver does a thorough evaluation when you come in for a pain consultation to determine the best treatment for you. He finds the source of your pain to create the best plan for treating it. 

If you have a chronic pain condition that fails to improve with medical, surgical, or interventional pain management treatments, then Dr. Silver may consider you a candidate for SCS or DRG stimulation. 

Conditions he treats with SCS or DRG stimulation include:

• Chronic back and leg pain
• Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS)
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
• Diabetic neuropathy 
• Extremity nerve pain

Dr. Silver may also suggest SCS for patients who aren’t candidates for spine surgery. 

What happens during spinal cord stimulation?

SCS is a permanent device. Before implantation, Dr. Silver does an SCS trial. For this procedure, you remain awake so he can find the source of your pain. He makes a small incision in your back, inserts leads over the spinal nerves or dorsal root ganglion, and activates the electrical impulse.

He attaches the leads to an external current generator you wear on your waist. The SCS trial lasts about a week. If you get significant pain relief during the trial, Dr. Silver has you return to the office for permanent placement of the SCS device.

What type of pain relief can I expect with spinal cord stimulation?

Most people experience significant improvements in pain and quality of life after SCS or DRG stimulation. Dr. Silver schedules routine follow-ups to monitor your pain level and adjust your device to adequately manage your pain.

Schedule your SCS consultation by calling Silver Spine & Neurological Center — Interventional Pain Management & Spine Surgery or using the online booking button.