Spinal cord stimulation is typically used to treat chronic pain that has not responded to other treatments, such as medication or physical therapy. It may be used to treat conditions such as failed back surgery syndrome, chronic regional pain syndrome, and neuropathic pain.
Spinal Cord Stimulation
Spinal Cord Stimulation is a technique for the treatment of chronic pain. It is used when the primary problem causing the pain (such as damaged nerves) cannot be dealt with. It is a technique rather like Trans-cutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) which masks the pain by causing a tingling sensation in the painful area of the body. This is achieved by implanting an electrode into the spinal canal behind the spinal cord (in the epidural space) which is then connected to a pacemaker which will stimulate the spine electrically. The precise mechanism of action (i.e. the way it works) is unknown, but many thousands of patients have been treated around the world, and the results are well known. In our practice, around 75% of patients with chronic pain will be rendered pain-free or have 90% improvement in their pain. That means 25% will not. The biggest difficulty we have is identifying this 25%, and this is the subject of much on-going research.