How Spinal Cord Stimulator Systems Work
Pain messages from the rest of the body are forwarded urgently to the brain. How spinal cord stimulator systems work is by blocking those urgent messages.
SCS is an ideal pain management strategy for those with chronic pain and for those who’ve experienced a failed back surgery. It may also be used for other types of post-surgical pain.
Sound complicated? Not really. Allow us to explain.
A Tailored Response
A small generator is attached to wires called “leads”. These components are implanted in your body. The SCS is then empowered to send miniscule electrical impulses through the leaders to targeted nerves in the spinal cord – the ones responsible for the pain being experienced.
What this achieves is sending those pain messages we were talking about earlier to the circular file.
The patient is given a remote control, allowing the SCS to be turned off and on and to decrease stimulation level (or increase it). Patients can also address pain occurring in specific regions of the body. When receiving the remote, it will have been programmed to the individual’s type, level and frequency of pain, making it a tailored response.
Not a Cure
It’s important to understand that SCS won’t address the underlying cause of pain. What it will do is cut off communication between the rest of the body (pain messages) and the brain.
Sometimes pain SCS replaces pain with a sensation that resembles mild tingling or fluttering. But some systems produce no such sensation.
What SCS does is acknowledge the unique, personal nature of pain, tailoring an intervention to that uniqueness. SCS is not a cure, and the technology isn’t a panacea for all pain, all the time. That said, its applications have proven extremely helpful to the types of patients mentioned earlier in this post.
Another important thing to know about SCS therapy is that if your pain is reduced by no less than 50%, the implant is considered a successful intervention.
Pain Management, With CTSI
Central Texas Spine Institute has been a leader here in Central Texas since 1988.
At CTSI, we strive to provide the best spine care available – anywhere. Our patient-centered care guides all we do, ensuring that our patients recover as quickly as possible.
Pain management is a part of our mission, which is why we’ve taken a moment to talk to you about how spinal cord stimulator systems work.
SCS may be right for you. If that’s not the case, the team at CTSI will help you get to the root of the problem and guide you toward the solution that’s most beneficial.
From minimally invasive spine surgery to pain management, Dr. Dryer and the team of professionals at CTSI work with patients, centering them in the project of their own healing. We journey with our patients toward resolutions personalized to their needs.
If you believe SCS might be for you, then we invite you to request an appointment. Under the guidance of Dr. Dryer, the team here will work with you toward a solution that answers your pain.
