Living with neuropathic pain can be a daily challenge. Whether you’re dealing with a constant burning sensation, sharp stabbing pain or uncomfortable numbness, neuropathy can impact your life physically and emotionally. You may have tried different treatments, but when the pain doesn’t go away and nothing seems to help, it’s easy to feel hopeless. But what if there was another option? Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is designed to target the pain at its source without topical and oral medications or invasive surgeries.
Let’s explore how SCS can relieve your neuropathic pain and improve your quality of life.
What is Neuropathy?
Before we look at how spinal cord stimulators can help your neuropathy, let’s identify this type of pain and its causes. Neuropathy refers to nerve nerve pain that occurs when your nervous system is damaged or malfunctioning.[1] The nerve fibers incorrectly fire off signals to your brain that make you feel pain that’s not there.[1] When wrong signals are sent, you may experience spontaneous pain, numbness, tingling and muscle weakness.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, there are many causes of neuropathy, but the most common include:
- Diabetes: High blood sugar levels can damage nerves, leading to diabetic neuropathy, a common type of peripheral neuropathy.
- Injury: Physical trauma can damage nerves and lead to chronic neuropathic pain, including Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
- Conditions: Certain conditions, like HIV/AIDS or shingles, can attack your nerves, causing long-term damage. When surgical interventions don’t relieve back pain, failed back surgery syndrome patients may turn to SCS.
- Disorders: Central nervous system disorders like Parkinson’s or MS (multiple sclerosis) can cause nerve pain symptoms.
- Cancer Treatment: Chemotherapy and radiation can sometimes lead to neuropathy as a side effect.
Peripheral neuropathy affects the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, while diabetic neuropathy specifically impacts those with diabetes. Both types of nerve pain can make simple tasks feel nearly impossible. But spinal stimulators offer hope.
How Does a Spinal Cord Stimulator Help Your Neuropathic Pain?
A neurostimulator or spinal cord stimulator (SCS) is a small, non-pharmacological device implanted near your spine with electrodes placed in the epidural space between your spinal cord and vertebrae.[2] It sends mild electrical pulses to the nerves responsible for your pain.[3] The pulses disrupt the pain signals before they reach your brain, essentially “blocking” the pain.[3] Patients can use a remote to turn the stimulation on and off or to change the stimulation level.[3]
SCS doesn’t cure neuropathic pain, but it can significantly reduce the intensity of the pain, making it much more manageable. Think of it as turning down the volume of a loudspeaker. Your nerves might still be sending pain signals, but your brain doesn’t pick up on them as strongly, allowing you to feel relief.
Benefits of SCS Nerve Stimulator
So, what makes SCS worth considering? Here are some of the key benefits:
- Targeted Pain Relief: Focuses precisely where you feel pain.[4]
- Customizable: The device can be adjusted to your unique pain levels, giving you control over your relief.[3]
- Non-Pharmaceutical: It relieves pain without relying on medications, which can have side effects.[5]
- Improved Quality of Life: Many patients return to a more active life as they are able to manage daily tasks, work or go to school.[4]
- Reversible: If you find that SCS isn’t working for you, the implant can be removed, and you can return to your previous treatment methods.[6]
Is Spinal Cord Stimulation Right for Me?
SCS might be worth considering if conventional treatments fail to relieve your neuropathic pain. It’s particularly beneficial if you’d like to treat your chronic pain with minimal or no medications. SCS is FDA-approved for neuropathy pain, but it’s essential to talk to your doctor about your case as this implanted device may not be suitable for everyone.
Test Drive a Spinal Cord Stimulator
One of the great things about SCS is that you can “test drive” or trial the device before committing to the permanent implant. During the trial period, the leads of the temporary device are placed in the epidural space allowing you to see if it works without the full implant surgery.[6] If you experience significant pain relief, you can undergo permanent device implantation.
SCS Implant Process
The trial period was a success so now you’ll receive your permanent stimulator. Under general anesthesia, the permanent device is implanted during a minor surgical procedure.[6] The device will be implanted inside your skin where you can reach it for charging, and it’ll be programmed now.[6]The procedure is typically done on an outpatient basis, meaning you can go home the same day.
Neurostimulators & Pain Management for Neuropathic Pain Relief
Life with neuropathy doesn’t have to be an endless struggle. Spinal cord stimulation is a promising option for those who have tried other treatments unsuccessfully. If you’re ready to explore a non-pharmacological, minimally invasive solution to manage your pain, consider reaching out to a pain management clinic. The specialists and your medical team can help determine if SCS is the right choice for you. It could be the relief you’ve been searching for to reclaim your life from neuropathic pain.
Resources:
- Neuropathic Pain. Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. Published 2015. Accessed August 14, 2024. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15833-neuropathic-pain
- Garcia K, Wray JK, Kumar S. Spinal Cord Stimulation. StatPearls [Internet]. Published 2021. Updated April 24, 2023. Accessed August 14, 2024. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553154/
- How Spinal Cord Stimulator systems work. Boston Scientific [Internet]. Accessed August 14. 2024. Available from: https://www.bostonscientific.com/en-US/patients-caregivers/device-support/scs/how-scs-works.html
- Spinal Cord Stimulation & What Conditions It Can Treat. Weill Cornell Medicine. Published 2024. Accessed August 14, 2024. Available from: https://comprehensivespine.weillcornell.org/treatments/spinal-cord-stimulation-and-what-conditions-it-can-treat/
- Sivanesan E. Spinal Cord Stimulator. Johns Hopkins Medicine [Internet]. Accessed August 14, 2024. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/treating-pain-with-spinal-cord-stimulators
- Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS): What It Is & Side Effects. Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. Accessed August 14, 2024. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24237-spinal-cord-stimulator-scs
