Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) Therapy

What Is SCS?

The Basics

SCS stands for Spinal Cord Stimulation. It is a well-established treatment that has been used worldwide for decades.

In Simple Terms

SCS is a treatment that sends mild electrical signals to the spinal cord to relieve pain.

A small device — similar to a cardiac pacemaker — is implanted under the skin. Thin wires (called leads) carry gentle electrical pulses from this device to the area near the spinal cord.

When Is SCS Considered?

SCS is typically considered in three situations:

1. When the Cause of Pain Is Unclear or Not Surgically Treatable

  • Conservative treatments (medications, injections, physical therapy) have been tried for months without improvement
  • Imaging shows some narrowing or changes, but it's unclear whether these are the main cause of your symptoms
  • The pain is primarily nerve-related, with little structural instability

SCS is considered when surgery cannot clearly address the source of pain.

2. When Surgery Is Possible, but Would Require a Major Procedure

  • Multi-level spinal fusion (two or more levels) is needed
  • Age or other health conditions make a large surgery risky
  • Concerns about long-term complications of fusion (such as adjacent segment disease)

SCS may be proposed as an alternative to — or alongside — major surgery. The more levels that would need fusion, the stronger the case for considering SCS.

3. When Pain Persists After Surgery

  • Surgery improved the structural problem, but nerve pain continues
  • Reoperation is unlikely to help, or carries high risk

SCS is considered for persistent pain after spine surgery.

In all cases, a trial period of about one week lets you test the therapy before committing to a permanent implant.

An important point:

SCS is not "giving up on surgery." When decompression surgery can solve the problem, we recommend decompression. When a single-level fusion is appropriate, we recommend fusion. But when multi-level fusion would be needed, or when surgical risk is high, SCS becomes a strong alternative. It is not a "last resort" — it is a third option that deserves early consideration.