Spinal Cord Stimulator Specialist

D3 Pain Management

Dan D DuBose, MD

Pain Management Specialist located in Willow Park, TX

More than 20% of adults in the United States suffer from chronic pain, which is defined as pain that lasts for at least 12 weeks. If other pain therapies haven’t worked for you and you’d like to avoid surgical interventions, Dan DuBose, MD, may recommend spinal cord stimulation (SCS) at D3 Pain Management in Willow Park, Texas. Spinal cord stimulation is a minimally invasive procedure that stops pain signals from reaching your brain, giving you long-lasting relief. Find out if you’re a candidate for SCS by contacting D3 Pain Management today by phone or online form.

817-989-9733

Spinal Cord Stimulator Q & A

What is a spinal cord stimulator?

A spinal cord stimulator (SCS) is an electronic device that interferes with the pain signals that your body sends to your brain. When the signals change, the way your brain perceives them changes, too.

While pain is a necessary part of keeping your body safe, if pain persists for weeks to years after an initial injury, it has outlived its utility. Chronic pain becomes a problem itself because it keeps your body and mind in a state of high alert. The SCS device consists of three parts:

A battery-powered generator that creates electrical pulses
Lead wires with electrodes that carry those pulses to your spinal cord
A handheld remote to turn the device on and off, and adjust the intensity

Why should I get a spinal cord stimulator?

Dr. DuBose may recommend SCS if you haven’t found relief with other pain therapies or if you’re having side effects from pain medications. You might also explore SCS if you’re trying to avoid a surgical intervention or if your initial injury can’t be repaired. Conditions that respond well to SCS include:

Back pain
Leg pain
Sciatica
Neuropathy
Failed back surgery syndrome

What happens when I get a spinal cord stimulator?

Dr. DuBose first has you undergo a spinal cord stimulator trial. This gives you the opportunity to try the device to see if it gives you the desired pain relief you are seeking. The trial leads are placed through needles into the epidural space near the nerves that cause your pain. There is no incision and the leads plug into a generator that you wear on a belt. The trial lasts one week.

If you experience meaningful pain relief during the trial, Dr. DuBose will schedule you for a permanent SCS placement. This will be done at an ambulatory surgery center or hospital 4-6 weeks after your trial. During this minimally invasive surgery, leads will again be placed in the epidural space, this time through a small incision in your low back. The leads will be tunneled under the skin to a battery/generator in your buttocks or flank region. This will be buried underneath the skin using another small incision. You will typically go home a few hours after surgery.

Find out if your pain can be part of your past with SCS. Contact D3 Pain Management today by phone or online form.

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