Explore Spinal Cord Stimulation as a Solution for Your Back Pain

Occasional back pain is not uncommon. Sore muscles or even overdoing them at the gym can lead to temporary pain. However, for 16 million Americans back pain isn’t temporary 一 and it profoundly impacts their day-to-day life. Because chronic and severe back pain is so debilitating, it accounts for 83 million missed workdays.

If back pain is impacting your quality of life and you just can’t tame the pain, we encourage you to visit us at International Spine, Pain & Performance Center in Arlington, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. Our experienced team of orthopedic specialists offers spinal cord stimulation as a solution for chronic back pain.

Below, we explore spinal cord stimulation and how it can relieve your back pain.

Understanding spinal cord stimulation and how it works

Spinal cord stimulation is a drug-free option for back pain relief. Spinal cord stimulation provides pain relief by interfering with your nerve’s ability to send pain messages to your brain. The simulation won’t treat underlying conditions that cause pain, but they do reduce the sensations of pain, which allows you to regain control and functionality in your life. This is especially true for pain that lingers long after the initial injury or condition is resolved.

Spinal cord stimulation requires a spinal cord stimulator in order to work. This is a small, implantable device that sends mild electrical impulses to the targeted nerves in your spine. It’s this mild electrical current that disrupts the pain messages from reaching your brain.

A spinal cord stimulator consists of two elements:

A small generator device, which is implanted under your skin
An electrode wire that travels from the generator into your spine

Before your device is implanted, you’ll undergo a trial period to make sure spinal cord stimulation is right for you. We use fluoroscopy (a type of x-ray that creates real-time images) to guide the placement of the electrode wire. During the permanent placement, the generator is implanted using minimally invasive procedures.

How do I know if a spinal cord stimulator is right for me?

If you’ve tried other treatments for back pain relief with little-to-no success, spinal cord stimulation could be the solution for you. Below is a list of some of the conditions that might improve with this type of innovative treatment:

Arthritis
Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS)
Arachnoiditis
Chronic leg or arm pain
Spinal stenosis
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
Pain resulting from spinal cord injuries

This list is not comprehensive, so if your back pain is limiting your activities, don’t hesitate to reach out and explore the possibilities with spinal cord stimulation. During your consultation, we conduct a comprehensive exam, review your health history and your symptoms before recommending any type of pain management interview. If we recommend spinal cord stimulation, we provide the trial spinal cord stimulator before the permanent implantation. The trial allows us to fine-tune the placement of the electrode wire, ensuring that your treatment is as effective as possible.

Does it work?

Spinal cord stimulation is an innovative, safe, and effective pain management solution. Because pain messages are intercepted from reaching your brain, spinal cord stimulation can improve your life in many ways, including improved sleep, reduced need for pain medication, and improved mental wellness as chronic pain subsides.

If you’re looking for a drug-free pain management solution, call one of our three locations or visit our website to book your consultation today.