Chronic pain is a common problem for millions of Americans, and while some people may find meaningful relief with conservative treatments like physical therapy or pain medication, for others, these options fall far short of relieving their nagging symptoms.
If that’s what you’re experiencing, it may be time to consider an alternative called spinal cord stimulation (SCS). This therapy uses advanced electrical stimulation to put you in control of symptom management. But before implanting the SCS device, Zaid Malik, MD, and the team at Superior Pain Relief perform a trial to make sure this option is right for you. Here’s how it works.
Your spinal cord contains nerves that travel from your brain to every other part of your body. These nerves control a wealth of critical functions, including transmitting sensations — like pain — to your brain for analysis and interpretation.
With acute pain, the sensations stop once the initial injury is relieved. But with chronic pain, the signals can last even after the injury has healed. Many types of persistent or recurrent pain happen because nerves become overstimulated. This causes them to send pain signals and create symptoms that are difficult to control with conservative therapies like medication or physical therapy.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) works by interrupting these abnormal signals using a mild electrical current. Delivered in measured impulses, this current blunts pain signals or completely prevents them from reaching your brain, reducing or eliminating painful symptoms.
SCS uses an implanted device. Undergoing a trial helps ensure that the treatment is effective in relieving pain prior to surgically implanting the device. If the stimulator provides meaningful relief, we move forward with implantation.
For the trial, which is an outpatient procedure, Dr. Malik inserts two slim wire leads into the epidural space — the area surrounding your spine. This involves a local anesthetic to numb the area and keep you comfortable and tiny punctures to insert the wires.
The other ends of the wires are connected to a small external device that provides tiny electrical bursts. Patients usually wear this generator on a belt or harness. You control the electrical bursts via this device, keeping a detailed record of how well it manages your pain.
Most trials last 1-2 weeks. While you need to avoid strenuous bending or twisting to avoid dislodging the leads, you should perform most of your daily tasks to gain a real-life assessment of how well the device works for your lifestyle and your symptoms.
At the end of your trial run, Dr. Malik removes the leads, reviews your notes, and talks to you about your overall experience. In addition to measuring how well SCS helped you manage your pain symptoms, he considers improvements in your activity tolerance and overall well-being.
If you both consider the trial successful, the next step is scheduling permanent implantation. During that procedure, Dr. Malik makes a small incision and places permanent leads and implants the generator under your skin, usually in your buttocks or abdominal area. You control the generator’s electrical impulses using a handheld remote.
However, if your trial run wasn’t successful in providing you with meaningful relief, Dr. Malik discusses other treatment options, including surgery, to address your pain.
SCS is just one advanced option we offer at Superior Pain Relief to help our patients manage pain and improve their overall quality of life. To learn if you’re a candidate for spinal cord stimulation, request an appointment with Dr. Malik and our team today. We have convenient locations in Baytown, Willis, and The Woodlands, Texas.
