Spinal cord stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation is a treatment for chronic pain. It uses a mild electrical current. It's mostly used for low back pain, pain in the arms and legs, and pain in the trunk.

A small generator is placed in your body. It sends electrical pulses to a tiny electrode near your spinal cord. You may feel a tingle from the pulses. The pulses can help relieve pain.

This treatment may be done for people with severe, chronic pain who have:

• Had back surgery that didn't help their pain.
• Pain from a nerve problem.
• Pain that does not respond to other treatments. This includes complex regional pain syndrome.
• Pain from severe peripheral vascular disease that the doctor feels cannot be treated with surgery.

If this treatment is right for you, you may have a spinal cord stimulator implanted for long-term use.

Spinal cord stimulation is done in two steps. Your doctor will first insert a temporary electrode through your skin. It will stay there for about a week. This first step is to see if the treatment will help your pain.

You and your doctor will test different stimulation settings and programs. Your doctor will ask you how you feel at different settings. Let your doctor know if you feel any discomfort.

You'll use a wireless remote control or other controller.

If the test works, you may get a permanent stimulator. The electrode is implanted in your spine. A lead wire runs from your spine to a small generator. It can be under the skin in your lower or upper back, buttock area, chest, or belly area.

You may get medicine that relaxes you or puts you in a light sleep. Some people may need to have general anesthesia. The areas being worked on will be numb.

After the stimulator is placed, your doctor will show you how to care for the areas where you had surgery.

This treatment targets the area of your body where you feel pain. There are different types of devices you may get.

• The devices can have different power sources.
  • Some generators have batteries that need to be replaced every 3 to 5 years. Some last longer.
  • Some have rechargeable batteries. A special wireless charger may come with your system. These last much longer. But they still may need to be replaced at some point.
  • Some stimulators may have a power source outside your body. These are more often for short-term use.
• The leads that carry the electrical current can be placed at different spots along the spinal cord.
• You will have a controller to program the device. Your doctor will show you how to use it.