Chronic pain can profoundly disrupt daily life, making even simple activities a challenge. While many patients find relief through medications, physical therapy, or injections, some continue to suffer despite these approaches. Spinal cord stimulator (SCS) therapy offers an alternative neuromodulation technique for those with persistent pain unresponsive to conventional treatments. Below is an overview of how SCS works and the benefits it can provide.
What is Spinal Cord Stimulator Therapy?
Spinal cord stimulator (SCS) therapy is a minimally invasive neuromodulation technique designed for patients whose chronic pain has not responded to traditional treatments. By implanting thin leads in the epidural space that deliver controlled electrical pulses to the spinal cord, SCS interrupts pain signals before they reach the brain, providing targeted, long-lasting relief while reducing dependence on pain medications. Proven effective in many neuropathic pain syndromes—such as failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), chronic painful peripheral neuropathy or plexopathy, multiple sclerosis, complex regional pain syndrome, postherpetic neuralgia, and phantom limb pain—this therapy can restore function, improve quality of life, and empower patients to reclaim daily activities.
What are the Benefits of This Treatment Method?
Spinal cord stimulation offers a range of patient-centered advantages:
- Temporary Trial Phase: Patients begin with a short, 3–7-day trial period using external leads to confirm effectiveness and customize settings before permanent implantation.
- Tailored Relief: Programmable settings allow customization to each patient’s unique pain patterns.
- Chronic Pain Reduction: Provides sustained relief from daily, persistent discomfort.
- Improved Function: By alleviating pain, patients can resume activities they were previously unable to enjoy.
- Medication Sparing: Many individuals reduce—or even eliminate—their reliance on opioid or other systemic pain medications.
- Minimally Invasive: Leads and generator are implanted through small incisions, promoting quicker recovery and lower procedural risk.
What Does the Procedure Entail?
Spinal cord stimulation therapy typically follows these steps:
- Trial Period: A temporary system—using percutaneous electrodes and an external stimulator—is placed for approximately five days to confirm that stimulation provides sufficient pain relief.
- Evaluation of Success: If the trial delivers the desired reduction in pain (usually ≥50%), the patient may proceed with permanent implantation.
- Permanent Implantation: Under minimally invasive conditions, a pulse generator and implantable leads are placed beneath the skin, with electrodes positioned in the epidural space near the spinal cord.
- Recovery Phase: A brief post-operative recovery period allows for wound healing and initial device programming.
- Onset of Relief: As the site heals and settings are optimized, patients typically experience gradual pain reduction and restored function.
- Ongoing Optimization: Periodic follow-up visits enable the clinician to adjust stimulation parameters—intensity, pulse width, frequency—to respond to any changes in pain or activity level.
Is Spinal Cord Stimulator Therapy Right for You?
Spinal cord stimulation could be a good option if you’ve been living with ongoing nerve-related pain that hasn’t improved with physical therapy, injections, or medications. Before moving ahead with spinal cord stimulation, you’ll undergo a thorough evaluation with your doctor—reviewing your medical history, prior treatments, pain patterns, and overall health—to determine if you’re a good candidate. If you’ve tried other therapies without lasting relief and want to reduce your dependence on pain medications, a short five-day trial of the device can show whether it eases at least half of your discomfort. From there, you and your physician can decide together if permanent implantation is the right path for you.
Eclipse Clinic Provides the Answer with Spinal Cord Stimulator Therapy
Ready to explore spinal cord stimulation? At Eclipse Clinic, our expert team is here to answer your questions and guide you through every step—from evaluation to treatment.
Contact Eclipse Clinic today to learn how SCS can help you reclaim control over your pain and improve your quality of life.