A spinal cord stimulator is an implantable device that helps you manage chronic pain. At Cascade Orthopaedics, the experienced orthopaedic team evaluates your pain to determine if a spinal cord stimulator is the right treatment for you. Call the Auburn or Bonney Lake, Washington, location today to set up your appointment or use this website to reach out online.
A spinal cord stimulator is a device that sends mild electrical currents to areas of your spinal cord. This blocks pain signals, so you get relief from chronic pain. The stimulator isn’t a cure for your condition but does provide relief by interfering with nerve signals to your brain.
The team implants the device just under your skin, and you control when electrical currents are delivered. A spinal stimulator reduces the need for pain medication and improves your ability to live a full life.
If you have chronic back, leg, or arm/shoulder pain, you may be a good candidate for a spinal stimulator. The stimulator may be recommended when more conservative therapies, like physical therapy and over-the-counter medications, have failed to help you find relief.
Your doctor may offer treatment with a spinal cord stimulator for:
Cascade Orthopaedics may recommend a trial stimulation to see if the stimulator works to relieve your pain. Before implanting the stimulator, you carry it in a belt to see if the electrical impulses do indeed bring you relief. You will have a small incision in your lower back to thread the wires and place the needles at your points of pain.
You use a hand-held programmer to control the strength and duration of each stimulation period. You can turn the device on and off, especially in circumstances where its use is not recommended — like when operating heavy machinery or during X-rays.
The device will set off airport security, so you’ll need to carry documentation before you travel. You can swim with the implanted device (but not the trial external version).
A spinal stimulator may be removed at any time in an outpatient procedure.