Spinal Cord Stimulation

Experience Pain Relief with Minimally Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a treatment that uses mild electrical impulses to relieve chronic pain. SCS works by blocking or altering pain signals before they reach the brain. The minimally invasive procedure involves implanting a device under the skin that sends electrical signals to the spinal cord. Electrical impulses stimulate nerves in the spinal cord, which can mask pain sensations, release endorphins (natural pain relievers) and interfere with the transmission of pain signals.

SCS is typically used to treat chronic pain conditions, including leg pain and neuropathic pain, which have not responded to other treatments.

Our neurosurgeons will assess your condition and discuss treatment options with you.

Benefits of Spinal Cord Stimulation

Spinal Cord Stimulation offers several potential benefits for individuals suffering from chronic pain, particularly neuropathic pain, when other treatments have failed.

  • Pain relief and improved function – SCS can significantly reduce chronic pain, with many patients reporting a 50% or greater decrease in pain levels. By reducing pain, SCS can enable individuals to participate more fully in daily activities, improve sleep, and enhance their overall quality of life. SCS can improve mobility and reduce pain-related limitations, allowing patients to become more physically active.
  • Reduced reliance on pain medication – SCS offers a non-pharmacological approach to pain relief, minimizing the need for potentially addictive pain medications like opioids. By reducing reliance on pain medications, SCS can help patients avoid the unwanted side effects often associated with these drugs.
  • Targeted and adjustable therapy – SCS can be particularly effective for neuropathic pain and diabetic neuropathy. Patients can adjust the stimulation levels and programs of their SCS device to customize the therapy based on their individual pain patterns and needs.
  • Potential for long-term relief – In many cases, SCS can provide long-term pain relief, allowing individuals to manage their chronic pain effectively over an extended period. By offering a long-term solution to chronic pain, SCS can lead to improvements in mental and physical health.

Abay Neuroscience Center offers multiple types and brands of spinal cord stimulation devices.

HFX™ Solution for Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that causes nerves to overproduce and send too many pain signals to your brain, resulting in the pain you feel in your feet or legs. HFX relieves burning, shooting, pins and needles pain by safely blocking those pain signals before you feel them, providing continuous relief in your feet or legs, improved sleep and for most people, improved feeling in their feet.

HFX could be right for you if:

  • You’ve been diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy pain in your feet or legs
  • You’ve tried prescription pain medications and haven’t found relief or want to avoid the side effects of medications

What to Expect

Dr. Weimar will assess your condition, discuss treatment options, and answer your questions. If it is determined that you’re an ideal candidate, we will schedule a temporary trial in which thin, flexible wires are placed beneath the skin and next to the spine. You will then wear a temporary device under your clothes that delivers stimulation to the leads.

Over the next week, you will evaluate the pain and determine if the temporary treatment has made a difference. If the answer is yes, we will schedule a quick and minimally invasive outpatient procedure in which a small device is implanted under the skin, just above the beltline or in the buttocks area. It’s connected to thin, flexible wires, just like those used in the trial, that are placed near the spine. It’s also possible your physician may recommend an alternative approach using a paddle lead, which requires a slightly different procedure.

SCS can provide significant pain relief, improve sleep, reduce reliance on pain medications, and enhance quality of life for many patients.

To discuss whether Spinal Cord Stimulation is right for you, call the Abay Neuroscience Center at 316-609-2600 and request an appointment with Dr. James Weimar.

NOTE: Individual results vary. As with any minimally invasive surgical procedure, there are potential risks associated. Spinal cord stimulation may not be appropriate for all patients and all patients may not benefit.