4 Benefits of Spinal Cord Stimulation

If you’re dealing with spine-related neck or back pain and you haven’t responded well to conservative treatments, your doctor may recommend a spinal cord stimulator as a next-level treatment. While it’s more invasive than injections or physical therapy, it can make a huge difference for some people, decreasing their pain to tolerable levels.

At Interventional Pain Center, Dr. James Stephens understands how negatively spinal pain can affect your life. When conservative treatments don’t make a dent in your pain, he offers several interventional pain treatments at his office in Legacy Office Park, Norman, Oklahoma, including spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Here, he discusses four of the primary benefits of this treatment.

How your spine stacks up

Your spine is your backbone, rigid but capable of bending, flexing, and twisting. It comprises 24 bony vertebrae, each connected to the one above and the one below by two facet joints.

Between the vertebrae are the intervertebral discs, which absorb the shock of movement, prevent the bones from rubbing against each other, and allow movement.

Running through the space in the middle of the spinal column is the spinal canal that contains your spinal cord, composed of nerves that relay information from your brain to the rest of your body and send back sensory and motor information from the peripheral areas.

The nerves exit the spinal column through holes (foramen) in the vertebrae and head to other body areas.

Pain occurs in the spinal column when the joints degenerate from wear-and-tear-related arthritis and press on the spinal nerves or nerve roots; when discs bulge or herniate, spilling out their contents, which then press on the nerves; or when the spinal canal narrows from bone spurs or degeneration and compromises the nerves.

What are some conservative treatments for neck and back pain?

Several conservative treatments are considered the first line of defense against back and neck pain.

Physical therapy (PT)

PT is one of the first and best conservative treatments to try. It combines targeted exercises and stretching tailored to your specific symptoms, condition, and comfort level. You also receive a series of exercises to perform at home to maintain your spine’s strength and stability.

Injections

If you’re in too much pain to engage in PT, the doctor may try trigger point injections, epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, and other forms of injection-based procedures to lessen the pain enough for you to do the exercises.

We consider injections when the source of the pain is known, and they may stop or lessen pain briefly. They’re not intended as a long-term solution or a treatment used in isolation.

Alternative therapies

Acupuncture, massage, biofeedback, laser therapy, and electrical nerve stimulation complement traditional treatments and help relieve pain.

Medications

Over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers and anti-inflammatories can take the edge off the pain and allow you to engage in PT. If these aren’t strong enough, the doctor may try muscle relaxants, nerve pain medications, and even antidepressants. Medications, though, can have unwanted side effects, so you need to use them judiciously.

What is a spinal cord stimulator (SCS)?

An SCS is a device implanted in your abdomen or buttocks that sends out electrical pulses that either prevent the spinal nerves' pain signals from reaching the brain or change how the brain perceives those pain signals.

You first go through a week-long trial with an external generator/battery worn on a belt and electrodes implanted alongside the spinal nerves to see if the system effectively reduces your nerve pain. If you get a 50% reduction in pain during the trial, it’s considered a success, and Dr. Stephens will proceed with the implantation of the generator and battery.

4 benefits of spinal cord stimulation

Here are four solid SCS benefits:

Significantly reduces pain levels
Improves sleep quality
Decreases need for pain medications
Improves overall quality of life

Keep in mind that the SCS isn’t typically an end unto itself. We use it with other pain management treatments, including medications, PT, regular exercise, and relaxation methods.

If you’re struggling with spine-related neck or back pain and conservative treatments haven’t helped, don’t despair. Interventional Pain Center can help. To learn more about the SCS or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Stephens, call us at 405-759-8407 or use our online booking tool today.