Spinal Cord Stimulation Specialist

What is spinal cord stimulation?

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a treatment option for patients who aren't finding relief from severe chronic pain using other therapies. It involves having a small implantable generator under your skin called a spinal cord stimulator that you control with a hand-held device.

Spinal cord stimulation uses electrical impulses that interfere with the messages going from the nerves in your spine to your brain. Original spinal cord stimulators produce a tingling feeling (paresthesia) in place of pain, while more recent devices shut down the pain signals altogether.

What conditions might require spinal cord stimulation?

Spinal cord stimulation could help relieve the symptoms of a number of chronic conditions, including herniated discs, arthritis, sciatica, and failed back surgery syndrome. It's particularly useful for neuropathic pain, which is pain coming from the nerves themselves.

For most people, conservative treatments are typically successful in resolving musculoskeletal pain. However, some patients find that even the most advanced therapies, such as epidural steroid injections and radiofrequency ablation, don't make enough difference to their pain.

For these patients, spinal cord stimulation offers hope. Before you undergo full implantation, Dr. Krishnan assesses your suitability for spinal cord stimulation and explains what's involved.

What does spinal cord stimulation treatment involve?

The first stage is fitting a trial spinal cord stimulator that you wear externally for a week or so. The unit connects to temporary electrical leads that Dr. Krishnan implants in your back. 

During the implantation process, you're sedated but awake, so you can tell Dr. Krishnan when the electrodes are in the position that's most effective in relieving your symptoms.

If your trial proves successful, you then need to undergo permanent implantation. You don't need to be awake, so you might have a sedative or general anesthetic.

Dr. Krishnan removes the temporary leads and inserts permanent ones in the same position. He then places the implantable pulse generator (IPG) battery under the skin on your buttocks or abdomen. He connects the leads to the IPG and ensures everything is working as it should.

What is it like living with a spinal cord stimulator?

Having a spinal cord stimulator gives you control over managing your pain. Using the wireless programmer, you can increase or decrease the strength of the electrical impulses to suit the way you feel at any time.

People who've struggled with severe pain find this gives them the ability to cope with everyday life far better, removing dependence on strong prescription medications.

If your chronic pain has a severe impact on your life and nothing else helps, talk to Dr. Krishnan about spinal cord stimulation. Call Island Interventional Pain Management today or book an appointment online.