When is spinal cord stimulation utilized in pain management?
Spinal cord stimulation is considered for neuropathic pain or pain due to a nerve injury when other more conservative modalities have failed. It is most commonly used when one has a difficult to treat extremity pain, arm or leg pain. Examples of arm or leg pain can be after spine surgery due to continued scar tissue about the nerve roots, with reflex sympathetic dystrophy problems, following injuries to peripheral nerves, and sometimes even for people with peripheral vascular disease. Potential patients must be able to understand how to regulate and control the stimulations, as treatment success involves active participation by the patient.
