Treating Neck and Back Pain with Spinal Cord Stimulator

An SCS or a Spinal Cord Stimulator is a device that puts the patient in charge of their pain relief.

SCS is a device that is implanted in the body to block pain signals traveling from the spinal cord to the brain. The device provides a mild electric signal to the spinal cord which interrupts the pain signals from travelling to the brain.

SCS is typically used to treat pain originating in the neck or low back. It can also be used to treat nerve pain due to conditions, such as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) or neuropathy.

Initially, an SCS trial is done under x-ray guidance. The procedure is similar to an epidural steroid injection and is done under local anesthetic. Patients only feel a little pressure. Once a needle is inserted the epidural space, a fine wire is threaded up into the epidural space. It is tested to check all of the patient’s pain is being covered. Once everything is in the precise location, the needles are removed and leads are taped to the skin to prevent them from moving during the trial. About a week later, the trial leads are removed. It generally takes 1-2 days to notice relief and up to 6 weeks for you to be pain-free.

SCS are commonly recommended where conservative treatments, such as physical therapy, and injections, have failed to relieve the patient’s pain, especially in conditions, such as failed back surgery syndrome. SCS is now being used as an alternative to surgery because it is less invasive and has a shorter recovery period. SCS is completely reversible too.

Most patients who have received an SCS implant are happy with the results. More than 90% of patients obtain adequate pain-relief following a SCS implant. Even those patients, who have been on long-term opioids, have been able to come off their medications following SCS implantation.

Since many patients are not sure when it comes to an implant, the good thing is the patient can actually try the treatment before getting the permanent implant. You can talk to your pain management physician about a trial to know if it is an option for you. Your doctor will review your overall health, medical history, imaging scans, severity and frequency of pain, the treatments that you have already tried and other factors, to decide whether you are a good candidate for SCS.

If you are looking for the best internal medicine doctors, pain management doctors, or house call doctor in San Diego, call Pacific Medical Care at 619-333-8114 Today. All you have to do is make a phone call and the doctor will be at your doorstep within a short while! The San Diego internal medicine doctors at Pacific Medical Care are Board Certified, highly skilled, compassionate and knowledgeable.

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pacificmedical Joined: October 24th, 2018