Spinal Cord Stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation offers a treatment option for many types of chronic back, leg, and neck pain. At The Beloved Medicine Clinic, Pain and Spine, pain management specialists John Melek, MD, MSC, and Engy Melek, MD, RD, LD, use spinal cord stimulation to relieve chronic pain and support mobility. If you’ve tried various treatments without relief, spinal cord stimulation may help. Make an appointment by calling the office in Dallas, Texas, or requesting one online today. 

What is spinal cord stimulation?

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a minimally invasive treatment that relieves chronic pain. It involves implanting a medical device called a spinal cord stimulator in your lower back. 

The spinal cord stimulator emits controlled electrical impulses that modify pain signals before they reach your brain, helping reduce discomfort. 

Once the stimulator is placed, you can use a handheld remote to increase or decrease the strength of the electrical current. This customization lets you adjust the stimulation when symptoms flare up.

Which conditions can benefit from spinal cord stimulation?

The Beloved Medicine Clinic, Pain and Spine team uses spinal cord stimulation to treat several types of chronic pain, including:

• Diabetic neuropathy
• Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS)
• Pain following back surgery
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
• Neck pain
• Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Spinal cord injuries

Spinal cord stimulation can also treat other types of musculoskeletal pain. After discussing your symptoms and completing a physical exam, your provider can determine if this treatment is right for you. 

What does spinal cord stimulation involve?

At The Beloved Medicine Clinic, Pain and Spine, spinal cord stimulation involves a two-step process:

Step one: SCS trial

Everyone responds to SCS differently, so your provider may recommend a trial period to see how well it relieves your pain.

To begin the trial period, you lie face down on an exam table, and your provider administers a local anesthetic to numb your back. Then, they make an incision near the middle of your back and insert tiny wires near your spinal cord.

Once the leads are placed, your provider connects them to an external generator that you wear during the trial period. Next, your provider gives you a remote that lets you increase or decrease the intensity of the electrical current.

You wear the generator for several days to see if it helps relieve your pain. 

Step two: Permanent SCS implantation

If the trial period is successful, you return to the office for permanent SCS placement. 

This procedure is similar to the trial run. The main difference is that your provider implants the generator beneath your skin, typically in the upper buttock area. 

After the generator is in position, your provider connects the leads to the generator and closes the incision. They then program the generator and explain how to use it.

To learn more about the benefits of spinal cord stimulation, make an appointment at The Beloved Medicine Clinic, Pain and Spine by calling the office or using the online booking feature today.