Chronic pain affects people worldwide, and finding lasting relief can feel like an uphill battle. Spinal cord stimulation offers a clinically proven, non-opioid approach to managing persistent pain. By delivering mild electrical impulses to the spinal cord, this therapy interrupts pain signals before they reach the brain, providing meaningful relief for symptoms that have not responded to other conservative treatments.
Understanding Spinal Cord Stimulation
A spinal cord stimulator is an implantable medical device, and it works by sending low-level electrical pulses to the spinal cord to modify pain signals before they reach the brain. The spinal cord stimulation system has three main components:
- A pulse generator: a small battery-powered device implanted under the skin.
- Lead wires: thin, insulated wires that carry electrical impulses to the spinal cord.
- A remote control: a handheld device that allows patients to adjust stimulation settings.
The pulse generator is typically placed in the lower back or abdomen. Patients can use the remote control to increase or decrease stimulation as their pain levels change throughout the day.
Reviewing Conditions Treated
Spinal cord stimulators are used to treat a range of chronic pain conditions that have not responded to more conservative therapies. These include:
- Failed back surgery syndrome, or persistent pain after spinal surgery
- Complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Arachnoiditis
- Angina, or chest pain, unresponsive to other treatments
The therapy targets neuropathic pain, which is pain caused by nerve damage or dysfunction. Because spinal cord stimulators address the nerve signals, they can provide relief for some patients.
Explaining Stimulation Mechanisms
When the device is active, it emits electrical pulses, and these pulses travel through the lead wires to the dorsal column of the spinal cord. The electrical signals interfere with pain transmission along the nerve pathways, so fewer pain signals reach the brain. Depending on the stimulation settings, patients may feel a mild tingling sensation, or, with newer high-frequency devices, no sensation at all.
Identifying Suitable Candidates
Not everyone with chronic pain is a candidate for a spinal cord stimulator. Good candidates are those who have not found adequate relief through surgery or conservative treatments. The process begins with a trial period, and this allows patients to test the device before permanent implantation.
During the trial, temporary leads are placed near the spinal cord and connected to an external pulse generator. If the patient experiences at least 50% pain reduction during the trial, they may proceed to permanent implantation. The permanent procedure is minimally invasive, and most patients return home the same day or after a short overnight stay.
Learn About Spinal Cord Stimulation
Spinal cord stimulation is a therapy for managing chronic neuropathic pain. It works by delivering electrical impulses to the spinal cord, interfering with pain signals before they reach the brain; a range of conditions, from failed back surgery syndrome to complex regional pain syndrome, may respond to this therapy, particularly when other treatments have not provided lasting relief. If you want to learn more about spinal cord stimulators, consult a pain management specialist near you.