Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)

What Is SCS?

Spinal cord stimulation is a treatment in which a thin wire (called a "lead") is placed near the spinal cord in the back. The lead delivers mild electrical signals that modulate pain signaling.

A Simple Way to Think About It

If you imagine pain signals as a phone line between your body and brain:

• Your body is sending pain signals to your brain
• SCS turns down the volume on that line, making it harder for pain signals to reach the brain
• Some newer approaches also work by modulating how the brain processes pain itself

Key Points

• SCS is not open surgery, but it is a medical procedure that involves placing an electrode inside the body — with risks of infection, bleeding, and other complications
• Reversible — the device can be removed if needed, though removal is itself a medical procedure requiring clinical judgment
• A trial period is available — a 5-to-14-day trial lets you test the effect before committing to a permanent implant
• Some stimulation modes produce no tingling sensation (this varies by device and settings)