If you’ve been living with chronic pain that doesn’t respond to conservative treatments like medication, injections, or physical therapy and are considering a spinal cord stimulator, you may wonder why — or even if — you need a trial.
Spinal cord stimulator trials are a “test drive” to make sure that spinal cord stimulation will work for your specific pain.
Before the Trinity Pain Medicine Associates team places spinal cord stimulations, we run a trial to make sure you’re getting the right treatment for your pain.
Read on as Ashley M. Classen, DO, FAOCA, and Ashley Bailey-Classen, DO, MBA, FAOCA, explain what a spinal cord stimulator trial is and how it works.
A spinal cord stimulator helps manage pain by interrupting the pain signals before they reach your brain.
This process uses thin wires called leads, which are placed into the epidural space near your spinal cord. These leads deliver tiny electrical impulses that are just strong enough to interrupt pain signals.
Depending on the type of stimulator, you may feel a light tingling sensation, known as paresthesia, or no sensation at all — just freedom from pain. Dr. Classen and Dr. Bailey-Classen can customize the programming to fit your comfort and pain relief needs.
The trial process gives you a chance to see how well spinal cord stimulation works for your pain before committing to permanent implantation.
Here’s what to expect:
The trial leads are placed into the epidural space using the same technique as an epidural steroid injection.
Once the leads are in the correct position, they are connected to an external device that controls the stimulation during your trial period.
You’ll go about your normal daily activities with the stimulator in place for 5-10 days. This allows you to see how much relief you experience in real-life settings.
At the end of the trial, we remove the leads easily in our office. We then review your results and discuss whether to move forward with a permanent spinal cord stimulator.
According to data published in The Journal of Pain, 80.4% of people move to permanent spinal cord stimulation after their trial.
If your trial is successful, the procedure is repeated, but this time the leads are connected to a small neurostimulator, similar to a pacemaker, which is implanted under your skin. This permanent device provides long-term therapy without the need for an external programmer.
An estimated 50,000 Americans receive a permanent spinal cord stimulator each year.
Dr. Classen, who is double-board-certified, and Dr. Bailey-Classen, who is quadruple-board-certified, are highly experienced with all types of spinal cord stimulators and work closely with you to determine if this therapy is the best fit for your pain.
You might consider a spinal cord stimulator trial if:
To learn more about spinal cord stimulation, call our Fort Worth, Texas, office at 817-332-3664. Or, simply click here to schedule a consultation.
