Living with a Spinal Cord Stimulator

Neck and back pain are frustrating, especially if you’ve tried every treatment without relief. If pain persists even after surgery, you may feel like you've finally run out of options — but that’s not true.

A spinal cord stimulator may be an option if you’re still having neck, back, arm, or leg pain after surgery and other treatments. It’s an implanted device that successfully manages chronic pain long term.

Stephanie S. Jones, MD, and the Consultants in Pain Medicine team are here to help if you’re in the market for significant pain relief that lasts a long time.

Dr. Jones is a pain management specialist who provides various treatments for chronic pain, including spinal cord stimulation.

The facts on spinal cord stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation is an innovative treatment for various causes of chronic pain. It consists of a pulse generator (battery), leads, and electrodes that we surgically insert into the epidural space of your spine.

The pulse generator emits a small electrical current that tricks specific nerves and prevents pain signals from getting to your brain.

Before you can have a permanent spinal cord stimulator, we require you to undergo a trial stimulator to ensure you have at least a 50% reduction in your pain. We perform the trial by inserting a lead into your epidural space through a spinal needle.

Using fluoroscopy, a particular type of X-ray, Dr. Jones ensures the lead is in the correct spine area from where your pain stems. She then connects the lead to a pulse generator she tapes to your body.

You wear the trial spinal cord stimulator for up to a week to see what it’s like and to determine if your pain responds to the device. If it works, we schedule you for the permanent device implantation, which happens under anesthesia in an operating room.

Who needs a spinal cord stimulator?

Spinal cord stimulation is an excellent option for people living with intractable chronic pain — but not everyone is a candidate for the procedure. You might be a good candidate for spinal cord stimulation if you have:

• Back pain
• Failed back surgery syndrome
• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Neuropathic pain
• Diabetic neuropathy

There’s still research happening about other conditions that may benefit from spinal cord stimulation, including spinal cord injuries, ischemic pain, and angina.

Spinal cord stimulation provides a long-term pain relief option for people who’ve tried everything else without relief. However, it’s a permanently implanted device, which can be challenging for some people to understand or get used to.

Life after a spinal cord stimulator

You can usually go home the same day you have surgery, and you’ll need to follow up with Dr. Jones in a few weeks to ensure the incision is healing correctly and you don’t have any complications.

Before you leave the hospital, the spinal cord stimulation company representative programs specific settings for your needs into a wireless remote that you use to control the device.

You can begin using the device immediately, although it may take a few days to feel the best results. You may need to adjust to the pulse generator we usually implant under your skin, either in the buttocks or abdomen.

If you have a spinal cord stimulator that requires charging, we help you understand how to set the pulse generator in your body wirelessly.

There are some restrictions after a spinal cord stimulator implantation that you need to be aware of. These restrictions include:

• Turning off the device before an X-ray or CT scan
• Avoiding an MRI machine if your device isn’t compatible
• Notifying airport security of the device
• Driving with the device in off mode

You can swim and get showers after the permanent spinal cord stimulator heals. You can also have us remove the permanent spinal cord stimulator if you’re not happy with the outcome.

Most people experience significant relief from spinal cord stimulation. They can do more things than they could before the procedure.

If you’re tired of living with chronic pain, call Consultants in Pain Medicine today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Jones. You can also request a consultation by sending us a message on the website.