SCS and Psychological Readiness

What International Guidelines Recommend

In 2023, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine) published guidelines recommending the following:

"All patients being considered for SCS should undergo objective psychological evaluation, including assessment for depressive symptoms."

This recommendation received 100% agreement from international experts. In other words, psychological evaluation is not something that is "nice to have" — it is a standard part of delivering quality care.

If you are being evaluated, it means your treatment team is following proper, evidence-based procedures.