Pain & Spine Center

Only a qualified physician can appropriately assess your symptoms and diagnose your pain. Many forms of acute and chronic pain present complex symptoms. Despite the high-quality information accessible online, “self-diagnosis” of pain symptoms is strongly discouraged. Not only can this method delay patients from getting suitable treatment, but “self-diagnosis” can, in some cases, lead to harmful “self-treatment.” 

Spinal Cord Stimulation

There are numerous options to treat neck and back pain, ranging from physical therapy to surgery. However, in certain cases where surgery or physical therapy aren’t successful options to relieve the pain, spinal cord stimulation could be a good treatment option.

What is spinal cord stimulation?

This treatment delivers mild electrical pulses to nerves in the spinal column, interfering with nerve activity to diminish the sensation of pain that reaches the brain. A spinal cord stimulation device is implanted close to the spine which produces an electrical current.

After implementation of the device, a doctor will determine the pulse strength and the patient is shown how to run the device on their own at home.

Who is a good candidate?

• Patients who are non-responsive to conservative therapies
• Patients whose pain does not subside with surgery
• Patients who have chronic pain syndromes
• In order to determine if you are an ideal candidate, you will be assessed by a pain specialist and a neurosurgeon.

Potential benefits of spinal cord stimulation

• Pain signal replaced with a mild tingling sensation
• Decreases the amount of pain medication needed
• Chronic pain can become more manageable
• Increased ability to enjoy day-to-day activities
• Positive effect on stress, quality of life, and mental health