Spinal Cord Stimulation
Spinal cord stimulation
What is it?
People who suffer from persistent pain that isn’t sufficiently relieved by conservative, nonsurgical treatments may finally find relief through Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS).
Dr. Washington uses SCS to treat and manage different types of persistent pain, including nerve-related back pain, spinal cord injuries, post-surgical pain, and arachnoiditis (painful inflammation of the thin membrane that covers the spine).
Disrupting persistent pain
How it Works
SCS works by interrupting pain signals that travel between the spinal cord and the brain.
During the SCS procedure, Dr. Washington will use fluoroscopic guidance to place electrodes in the epidural space. Patients will use this temporary device for 5-7 days to confirm that they receive excellent pain relief.
After confirming that the temporary trial leads relieve your pain, Dr. Washington will implant the long-term system consisting of the stimulating leads connected to a small battery, similar to a pacemaker for the heart.
When activated, a spinal cord stimulator interrupts the waves of pain that are transmitted from the damaged nerve. The neuromodulation unit instead sends a small electrical signal at the precise moment that the nerve is transmitting a pain signal. The result is that the patient feels a small electrical pulse instead of a wave of pain.
One of the main benefits of spinal cord stimulation is that it can lessen the need for drugs for those patients who suffer from chronic pain related to the lower back.
