Treatment guide
Spinal Cord Stimulation / Neuromodulation
A staged neuromodulation option for selected persistent pain conditions.
Overview
Spinal cord stimulation uses thin leads placed in the epidural space to deliver mild electrical signals that alter how pain reaches the brain. Rather than eliminating the source of pain, neuromodulation changes its processing, which for selected persistent pain conditions can produce a meaningful reduction in pain and improvement in function.
The defining feature of this treatment is that it is staged. A temporary trial system, externalized and removable, is used first, typically for about a week, so you can evaluate the effect in your actual life before any permanent device is considered. A permanent implant proceeds only if the trial is meaningfully helpful and clinically appropriate.
Conditions treated
Considered for selected persistent neuropathic pain conditions after appropriate evaluation and prior treatment, such as persistent radicular pain following spine surgery, and other chronic nerve-related pain patterns where the evaluation supports candidacy.
Who may be a candidate
Appropriate when a persistent neuropathic pain condition has been thoroughly evaluated, when reasonable prior treatments including appropriate injections, medication management, and rehabilitation have not provided adequate relief, when psychological readiness and realistic expectations are established, and when the pain pattern is one that stimulation trials have historically addressed. Candidacy involves a deliberate, staged process rather than a single decision.
What to expect
The process begins with education and screening, including a psychological evaluation that is a standard part of candidacy. The trial involves placing temporary leads in the epidural space with local anesthetic and light sedation, connected to an external device you control. Over roughly a week, you go about daily life and evaluate how much the stimulation changes your pain and function. If the trial succeeds, a permanent system, with a small implanted generator, is a separate scheduled procedure.
Recovery
The trial itself involves brief activity restrictions to protect the temporary leads, then removal in the office. If a permanent system is implanted, recovery includes a few weeks of restrictions on bending, lifting, and twisting while the leads settle, and specific instructions are provided. The device is adjusted and programmed with you over follow-up visits, and settings can be modified as your needs change.
Potential benefits
The goal is improved pain control and function in carefully selected patients. The trial-first structure means the decision to implant is based on your own measured experience rather than a prediction, and the system is adjustable and reversible in ways that surgical treatments are not. Some people reduce medication reliance as function improves.
Risks and considerations
Trial and implantation risks include infection, bleeding, and dural puncture. Device-related considerations include lead movement requiring revision, hardware malfunction, uncomfortable stimulation patterns, and the need for future revisions or battery replacement. Neurologic injury is rare but serious and discussed beforehand. Incomplete relief is possible, which is precisely what the trial is designed to reveal before implantation.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Personalized evaluation in Boca Raton
Start with a conversation about your symptoms and goals.
This information is educational and does not replace an individual medical evaluation. If you have a medical emergency, call 911.