Rediscover life with relief from chronic pain
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy disrupts the pain signals traveling between the spinal cord and brain, helping to relieve pain.
SCS therapy is comprised of a small pacemaker-like device is placed under the skin with thin leads or wires. The leads deliver mild electrical impulses to an area near your spine. By interrupting pain signals between your spinal cord and your brain, the stimulator may help you get back to doing the everyday things you love most by providing relief for your chronic pain.
Spinal cord stimulation is a proven, long-term therapy for managing chronic pain.1–3 - (04:00)
The majority of patients studied with a rechargeable Medtronic SCS device with DTM™ programming reported profound pain relief of 80% or more.8
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Potential benefits of SCS
- Proven long-term therapy for managing chronic pain1,2
- Improved ability to function1
- More effective than repeat surgeries for pain4
- Possible reduction of oral opioid consumption, according to clinical evidence in multiple studies5–7
Potential risks of SCS
Risks include infection, lead movement, pain at the implant site, and loss of therapy effectiveness. Not everyone responds to SCS in the same way, and your experiences may vary. Patients with diabetes may have an increased risk for surgical complications. Talk to your doctor about your ability to undergo surgery.
See important safety information and discuss risks with your doctor.
456,000+
People with chronic pain worldwide have been helped by Medtronic SCS pain therapy.†
Connect with a
patient ambassador
A patient ambassador is a current patient who is ready to answer your questions based on their experiences with SCS for their chronic pain.
Talk to
a nurse
Speak to a registered nurse experienced in Medtronic chronic pain therapies.
Patient ambassadors are volunteers and not medical experts. The nurse is a paid consultant of Medtronic.
DPN pain relief
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for moderate to
severe diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) pain
† Data on File.
1
Kumar K, Taylor RS, Jacques L, et al. Spinal cord stimulation versus conventional medical management for neuropathic pain: a multicenter randomized controlled trial in patients with failed back surgery syndrome. Pain. 2007;132(1–2):179–188.
2
Kemler MA, de Vet HC, Barendse GA, van den Wildenberg FA, van Kleef M. Effect of spinal cord stimulation for chronic complex regional pain syndrome type 1: five-year final follow-up of patients in a randomized controlled trial. J Neurosurg. 2008;108(22):292–8.
3
Ohnmeiss DD, Rashbaum RF, Bogdanf, GM. Prospective outcome evaluation of spinal cord stimulation in patients with intractable leg pain. Spine. 1996;21(11):1344–1350.
4
North RB, Kidd D, Shipley J, Taylor RS. Spinal cord stimulation versus reoperation for failed back surgery syndrome: a cost effectiveness and cost utility analysis based on a randomized, controlled trial. Neurosurgery. 2007;61(2):361–369.
5
Gee L, Smith HC, Ghulam-Jelani Z, et al. Spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of chronic pain reduces opioid use and results in superior clinical outcomes when used without opioids. Neurosurgery. 2018. A non-randomized prospective cohort study of SCS patients between September 2012 and August 2015 (N = 86 [n = 53 on opioids]).
6
Sharan AD, Riley J, Falowski S, et al. Association of opioid usage with spinal cord stimulation outcomes. Pain Med. December 2017. A non-randomized analysis of Truven Health Marketscan databases from January 2010 to December 2014 based on the first occurrence of an SCS implant (N = 5,476).
7
Pollard EM, Lamer TJ, Moeschler SM, et al. The effect of spinal cord stimulation on pain medication reduction in intractable spine and limb pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and meta-analysis. J Pain Res. 2019;12:1311–1324. A research review summarizing SCS studies with respect to opioid use and a further meta-analysis of comparative SCS RCTs of 1 year or greater duration (N = 489).
8
Fishman, M, Cordner, H, Justiz, R, Provenzano, D, Merrell, C, Shah, B, et al. Twelve-Month results from multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled clinical trial comparing differential target multiplexed spinal cord stimulation and traditional spinal cord stimulation in subjects with chronic intractable back pain and leg pain. Pain Pract. 2021; 21: 912–923