Am I A Candidate for a Spinal Cord Stimulator?

As much as 21% of the US population struggles with chronic pain. Spinal cord stimulation offers hope if you’re living chronic pain by providing a nonpharmacological, targeted approach to pain management.

Spinal cord stimulation is a minimally invasive procedure that involves implanting a small device, similar to a pacemaker, beneath the skin. Using an external controller, you can direct the device to deliver mild electrical impulses to your spinal cord, effectively interrupting pain signals before they reach the brain. 

By changing your brain’s perception of pain, spinal cord stimulation can provide significant relief for chronic pain conditions that haven’t responded to other treatments. How do you know if a spinal cord stimulator might be right for you?

At Alabama Neurological Surgery & Spine in Birmingham, Alabama, our team offers spinal cord stimulators to qualified patients. We determine your candidacy after a comprehensive evaluation and review of your treatment history.

Persistent chronic pain

We typically recommend spinal cord stimulation for people with chronic pain conditions that have persisted for six months or longer and haven’t responded to other, more conservative treatments. 

Common conditions treated with spinal cord stimulation include failed back surgery syndrome, neuropathic pain, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and peripheral neuropathy.

Failed conservative treatments

If you’ve exhausted conservative treatment options without achieving adequate pain relief, you may be a candidate for a spinal cord stimulator. Treatments like medications, steroid injections, and physical therapy are effective for many people, but if your pain persists, we may recommend spinal cord stimulation as an alternative.

You may consider a spinal cord stimulator if you experience intolerable side effects with pain medications or injections.

Psychological readiness

A psychological assessment may be part of our evaluation process to ensure that you have realistic expectations, mental stability, and the ability to follow post-implantation guidelines. We want to make sure spinal cord stimulation is the right treatment for you physically and mentally.

Medical history and imaging studies

Your medical history, imaging studies, and physical examination findings help us determine if you’re a candidate for spinal cord stimulation. Conditions such as spinal stenosis, significant spinal deformities, or active infections may affect your eligibility for the procedure.

Spinal cord stimulator trial period

Before undergoing permanent implantation, you undergo a trial. We place temporary leads near the spinal cord to assess the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation in relieving your pain. Successful pain relief during the trial period is a strong indicator of potential benefit from permanent implantation.

If you've been struggling with persistent pain that hasn’t responded to conventional treatments, you may be a candidate for spinal cord stimulation.

Call Alabama Neurological Surgery & Spine to set up an appointment with our team. We can help you take the steps toward determining whether this innovative therapy is right for you. 

Don't let chronic pain hold you back from living your life to the fullest. Explore the possibilities of spinal cord stimulation today.