Spinal injuries and pain cause daily agony and distress for millions of people worldwide. While medication and nonsurgical treatment options may provide sufficient relief for some, that’s not the case for many, according to interventional spine specialist Dr. Kieran Slevin. For these patients, the chronic pain they endure can make life an arduous journey.
Thankfully, pioneering spinal cord stimulation techniques now offer new hope to these individuals. Spinal cord stimulators are implanted devices that deliver tiny electrical currents into patients’ spinal cords to help relieve their pain. But do they work? Here to answer that question is interventional spine specialist Dr. Slevin.
Visionary physician Dr. Slevin is the CEO of a leading multi-specialty healthcare practice. North American Spine and Pain, co-founded by Dr. Slevin in 2014, is committed to setting the gold standard of specialized care in Pennsylvania and surrounding areas.
What Is Spinal Cord Stimulation?
Spinal cord stimulation—or SCS—involves implanting a small device under the skin. This device delivers low levels of electricity directly into a patient’s spinal cord. Expert Dr. Slevin explains that the process works by interrupting pain signals between the spine and the brain, replacing them with a gentle tingling sensation.
Crucially, specialist physicians such as North American Spine and Pain co-founder Dr. Slevin can tailor SCS on a patient-by-patient basis to deliver optimum results. This process involves a trial period where a temporary device is employed to assess the needs of a particular patient and the likely long-term efficacy of spinal cord stimulation in combating their pain.
The interventional spine specialist says that this trial period is crucial in delivering a tailored approach to pain management. Such tailored approaches account for the unique nuances of individual patients’ pain. Where a spinal cord stimulation trial returns positive results, patients can then opt for the implantation of a permanent device.
What Can SCS Patients Expect?
Only once a patient is deemed a good candidate for spinal cord stimulation following a trial period will they receive permanent implantation of an SCS device. For those for whom SCS techniques yield positive results, Dr. Slevin says the long-term benefits are invariably life-changing.
Spinal cord stimulation offers long-overdue relief, having likely struggled with pain for an extended period. This relief, interventional spine specialist Dr. Slevin reports, often empowers patients fitted with a permanent SCS device to regain control over their lives for the first time in many years. The physical benefits are usually immediately apparent, too.
Patients may further look forward to profound, longer-term improvements elsewhere, including in their mental and emotional well-being. By mitigating physical pain, SCS promotes improved mood, mobility, and a renewed sense of normalcy. These improvements, in turn, positively impact patients’ quality of life, their ability to work, their relationships, and more.
Future of Spinal Cord Stimulation
Dr. Kieran Slevin believes that spinal cord stimulation isn’t just a treatment but a beacon of hope for those living with the complexities of chronic pain. The interventional spine specialist says that as technology continues advancing, so does the potential of spinal cord stimulation. Already, ever smaller and more sophisticated SCS devices are under development.
The groundbreaking neuromodulation technology powering SCS devices is also undergoing constant refinement. As science unravels new wonders surrounding neuromodulation and its life-changing potential, additional doors continue opening toward brighter, more empowered futures for chronic spinal, musculoskeletal, and other pain sufferers.
Want to learn more? Contact Dr. Slevin and the North American Spine and Pain team today for further information about spinal cord stimulation and its benefits.
