Spinal Cord Stimulator

New Jersey Pain Management

Spine, Sports & Pain Medicine Centers located in Morristown, NJ & Bridgewater, NJ & Rockaway, NJ

Approximately 50,000 spinal cord stimulators are implanted each year to help patients dealing with chronic pain. If you suffer from chronic pain that hasn’t resolved with conservative treatments, visit New Jersey Pain Management in Morristown, Bridgewater, or Rockaway, New Jersey, for a pain management consultation. Pain care specialists, Alena Polesin, MD, and Philip Rubinfeld, MD, and their expert team offer spinal cord stimulators and other lasting solutions to chronic pain. To schedule a visit, call or book online now.

Spinal Cord Stimulator Q & A

What is a spinal cord stimulator?

A spinal cord stimulator (SCS) is a medical device that can be surgically implanted into your spinal cord to block pain signals. It’s one of the most common types of medical implants and is widely accepted as an effective long-term solution to chronic nerve pain. There are three types of spinal cord stimulation devices:

Conventional systems

The conventional system doesn’t require you to do any maintenance or recharge the device. A small surgical procedure may be needed to insert a new battery if the original battery runs out.

Radiofrequency systems

Radiofrequency systems offer the highest level of power output, though they require the users to wear an external power source to activate the device. This option is recommended for severe and complex pain cases.

Rechargeable systems

A rechargeable system allows patients to recharge the device with an external power source when needed. Over time, the battery may lose its ability to recharge, so a minor surgical procedure may be needed to insert a new battery in the device.

Based on your condition, the team can determine which SCS option is best for your needs and lifestyle.

How do spinal cord stimulators work?

Spinal cord stimulation blocks pain by emitting a low-voltage electrical current through your spinal cord and nerves. Normally your nerves are responsible for sending signals to your spinal cord and brain about pain, temperature, vibration, and pressure.

With a spinal cord stimulation device, the electrical current prevents these pain signals from reaching your spinal cord and brain. This blocks your brain from sensing pain and allows you to live a more normal life.

What conditions can benefit from a spinal cord stimulator?

Spinal cord stimulators are used for chronic pain that is deemed “pathological.” This means that the pain serves no protective purpose — such as preventing you from burning your hand on a hot pan or stepping on a nail — and simply makes daily activities extremely difficult or unbearable. If your chronic pain diagnosis includes this pathological component, it’s unlikely that conservative or noninvasive therapies will be enough to reduce your pain.

The team may recommend a trial of care with a temporary spinal cord stimulator to determine if it can help you. If it’s effective, the team performs a minor surgical procedure to implant the permanent device.

Get relief from your pain by calling or booking a visit at New Jersey Pain Management now.

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