What You Need to Know About Spinal Cord Stimulators

What You Need to Know About Spinal Cord Stimulators

In the past, people with chronic back pains caused by wear and tear, or previous underlying medical conditions opted for the conventional methods of treatment.

The treatment included rest, limited body activity, and opioid medication, which tried to curb the pain. However, spinal cord stimulation has become a standard of care for people with acute, chronic back pain and neck pain, especially when these traditional methods fail to provide relief.

It is crucial for you to understand more about the SCS before getting an implant and determining whether it will be useful in easing the pain, eliminating the need for medication and assist you in returning to a comfortable, healthy, and productive life.

Here is everything you need to know about a spinal cord stimulator:

What is a Spinal Cord Stimulator?

A spinal cord stimulator is a device that is surgically placed under your skin and sends mild levels of electric current to your brain. The electrical stimulation masks the pain signals that are sent to the brain and significantly reduces the pain.

Who is a Candidate for Pain Stimulators?

An evaluation of your physical condition, pain history, and medical regime will determine whether you are a potential candidate for a spinal cord stimulation. You are likely to have an SCS if you have been experiencing debilitating pain for more than three months without relief. Some other reasons may include:

• Conservative therapies to treat your pain have failed.
• You are not likely to benefit from additional surgeries.
• You do not want to further the surgeries due to the risks if long recovery.
• Your pain is caused by a correctable problem that can be fixed.
• You have had a prior successful SCS trial.

And in most cases, SCS lessens pain caused by

• Chronic leg (sciatica) or arm pain that is caused by either arthritis, nerve damage, or spinal stenosis.
• Failure of one or more surgeries to relieve pain or arm pain, but not due to the original surgery technical failures.
• Complex regional pain syndrome, which is a progressive disease where patients feel constant, burning pain, especially in the arm or feet.

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How Safe is a Spinal Cord Stimulator?

The procedure is very safe compared to other conventional methods of traditional surgeries. During the implantation, the surgeon uses small incisions that reduce the healing time, excessive bleeding, and minimizes the chances of infection.

It is also imperative for you to know some of the risks associated with the practice. However, they are not dangerous and are more or so less th common in most surgeries like infection and nerve damage. Besides, there is no 100% assurance that the SCS implant will work, and that is why a trial is necessary.

How Effective is SCS?

Consequent spinal cord stimulations have shown that the method is effective and reduces the pain by almost 50%. However, it is worth noting that SCS does not necessarily cure the underlying condition that causes pain but is only an effective method of reducing and controlling the pain.

Besides, you will enjoy many benefits from the implantation, such as adjustable and targeted pain relief, reduced use of medication, and minimal side effects.

Recovering from an SCS Procedure

Taking an SCS will mark the beginning of another chapter in your life, and you will be eager to get back to your activities as soon as possible. Like any other healing procedure, SCS takes time. During the first two weeks, you should not:

• Do vigorous physical activities
• Pull or jiggle the leads.
• Lift heavy objects that weigh more than five pounds.
• Raise your arms high above your head if you had new leads implanted.

How to Care for the Stimulator

For the device to continue giving you useful and long-term pain relief that allows you to feel like yourself again, you need to take care of it properly. Some of the measures include:

• Charge your system by following the step by step guideline provided by your doctor.
• Store your remote well when clean and dry.
• Avoid areas with strong electromagnetic fields since they can interfere with the wireless connection.
• Avoid sudden and abrupt movements that may increase the stimulation when the therapeutic stimulator is on.

For more information or questions about SCS stimulators, feel free to talk to us, and our team of experts will be more than willing to assist.