A spinal cord stimulator is an implanted device that sends low levels of electricity directly into the spinal cord to relieve pain.
Spinal cord stimulators consist of thin wires (the electrodes) and a small, pacemaker-like battery pack (the generator). The electrodes are placed between the spinal cord and the vertebrae (the epidural space), and the generator is placed under the skin, usually near the buttocks or abdomen. Spinal cord stimulators allow patients to send the electrical impulses using a remote control when they feel pain. Both the remote control and its antenna are outside the body.
Experts still don’t fully understand the mechanisms behind spinal cord stimulation, but they now know that it may target multiple muscle groups directly from the spine and even alter how the brain senses pain.
Traditional spinal cord stimulators replace the sensation of pain with light tingling, called paresthesia. For patients who find these paresthesiae uncomfortable, newer devices offer “sub-perception” stimulation that cannot be felt.
Many of the latest devices are placed by physicians with highly specialized training in interventional pain management under X-ray and/or ultrasound guidance.
