![]() ![]() Patients that qualify for stimulation therapy typically have chronic debilitating pain that has persisted for over three months in the lower back, leg ( sciatica ), or arm. Because chronic pain can cause emotional effects, a psychologist will speak with you to help ensure that your procedure is successful. They will also review all previous pain management treatments and surgeries. To determine if you are a candidate for SCS, your doctor will evaluate your physical condition, medications, and pain history. Who qualifies for a spinal cord stimulator? This surgery typically takes one to two hours and does require that you be given light general anesthesia. If your trial is successful (50% or greater improvement in pain relief), surgery can be scheduled to implant the SCS device (generator) in your body. Are you put to sleep for spinal cord stimulator surgery? ![]() Spinal cord stimulator surgery is not painful for the average patient, although you may experience some temporary discomfort over the final implant site. The lead’s wires (electrode) are attached to an external generator worn on the belt. ![]() Using X-ray fluoroscopy, the surgeon will insert the trial lead into the epidural space and position it over specific nerves. On the day of the procedure, a local anesthetic is applied to numb the area in your lower back. First, you must undergo a temporary trial to determine if the stimulator reduces your pain level. Is spinal cord stimulator surgery painful?ĭetermining if a spinal cord stimulator is the right choice for you requires a two-step process. If SCS is not right for you, the wires will be removed with no resulting damage to the spinal cord or nerves. For these reasons, your doctor will start you out with a one-week trial period. Some patients find the tingling sensation to be unpleasant, while others don’t experience relief over the entire pain area. That said, stimulation does not work for everyone. In most cases, even a small amount of pain reduction can be a blessing by allowing the patient to engage in normal daily activities once again. In general, the goal for SCS is a 50 to 70% reduction in pain. For that reason, the amount of pain relief varies by patient. Stimulation does not eliminate the source of pain, but rather simply changes the way the brain perceives it. Presently, the long-term success rate of SCS ranges from 50 to 75%. To alleviate your concerns, these are some common questions that patients ask about spinal cord stimulation surgery: What is the success rate of a spinal cord stimulator? And although there are some permanent restrictions with a spinal cord stimulator, most patients enjoy a “new lease on life” while living virtually pain-free after undergoing spinal cord stimulation surgery. Like many other safe and effective surgical procedures, there is a lot of misinformation – including spinal cord stimulator horror stories – circulating the Internet. Here’s how a spinal cord stimulator implant works: Modified by the device’s pulses, the pain signals are either not perceived at all or are replaced by a tingling sensation. Once implanted, the stimulator delivers electrical impulses to electrodes placed over the spinal cord. Spinal cord stimulation surgery is the procedure that’s used to implant the SCS device. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) – also called “neuromodulation” – can be used to disguise those signals so that the brain no longer receives them. When nerves get damaged, they sometimes send pain signals to the brain even though no injury is occurring. This process helps prevent an injury by notifying the person that something is wrong. Nerve signals are transmitted constantly from the body to the brain. As a newer therapy alternative, patients who are non-responsive to conventional chronic pain management treatments often find relief by undergoing spinal cord stimulation surgery. If not properly treated, chronic pain can lead to other physical, mental, and emotional health problems, including medication overuse. While no longer protecting the body from injury, this persistent pain becomes lifestyle-altering in and of itself. People experience chronic pain when their body’s normal response to a neck or back injury lasts longer than it should. ![]()
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