What to Expect From Spinal Cord Stimulation for Back Pain

Up to 50,000 Americans receive a spinal cord stimulator annually. The implantable medical device treats severe back pain, providing an alternative to opioid medications and spine surgery.

At Sunshine Spine and Pain Specialists, PLLC, in Sarasota, Florida, our team of interventional pain management specialists has years of experience using spinal cord stimulation to manage back pain and prevent it from worsening.

This blog discusses what a spinal cord stimulator does and explains what to expect during treatment.

Understanding spinal cord stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation provides a minimally invasive way to manage severe chronic back and neck pain. 

During treatment, we implant a small medical device called a spinal cord stimulator beneath the skin in your buttocks, abdomen, or chest. 

After placement, the device emits a mild electrical current. The current blocks pain signals from reaching your brain, relieving musculoskeletal discomfort and improving mobility.

Who is a candidate for spinal cord stimulation?

You may be a candidate for spinal cord stimulation if you have:

• Severe back pain
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
• Persistent pain after spinal surgery (failed back surgery)
• Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage)
• Chronic neck pain

What to expect during spinal cord stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation is a two-step process featuring a trial procedure. If the trial is successful, we can move ahead with implantation surgery. Here’s a closer look at each step.

Step one: Trial procedure

To see if spinal cord stimulation will alleviate your pain, our team performs a trial procedure.

During this procedure, we administer twilight anesthesia, which causes you to fall asleep. 

Once you’re comfortable, we use X-ray-guided imaging to insert a thin needle through your skin and into the epidural space in your back. When the needle is in position, we thread a temporary lead — an electrical wire that connects to a pulse generator — into the space.

Then, we attach the part of the lead outside your body to a pulse generator (a small electronic box). The pulse generator is held in place outside your body with sutures or skin glue. 

After completing the placement procedure, we program the pulse generator to emit a mild electrical current at regular intervals. This current blocks pain signals from reaching your brain, alleviating discomfort.

The trial period lasts several days to several weeks. If our team determines the stimulator provides effective relief, we schedule an implantation surgery.

Step two: Implantation surgery

At the beginning of this procedure, we administer general anesthesia, causing you to fall asleep.

Next, we make several small incisions in your back and insert thin wires called “leads” into them. We place the wires in strategic places near your spinal cord and attach them to a small pulse generator placed under the skin in your buttocks or abdomen.

Once the wires and pulse generator are positioned and connected, we close the incisions and move you to a recovery room. Then, we program the generator using a remote control. Programming the generator causes it to emit an electrical current at regularly specified intervals.

What happens after spinal cord stimulation surgery?

After spinal cord stimulation surgery, you may need to stay in the hospital for a night or two. 

Once the anesthesia wears off, we explain how to care for your incisions and control the pulse generator. Most pulse generator batteries last 5-7 years. We monitor the device at regular checkups to ensure it works as it should.

Schedule a spinal cord stimulation consultation

Chronic neck and back pain can affect your mobility and quality of life. Spinal cord stimulation provides a safe and effective way to manage severe pain without the need for traditional open spinal surgery. 

Schedule a spinal cord stimulation evaluation today through online booking or by calling Sunshine Spine and Pain Specialists, PLLC.