One particular treatment for chronic pain is Spinal Cord Stimulation. In this interventional pain management treatment, a permanent spinal cord stimulator is implanted under the skin. The stimulator masks the pain signals traveling through your spinal cord before they reach your brain. The implanted device is similar to a pacemaker used for the heart and is so small that it does not interfere with normal daily activities.
So far, data has shown that despite the seemingly initial higher costs, SCS is substantially cost-effective for the long-term. All in all, spinal cord stimulation has been established as an effective treatment in a number of chronic pain syndromes.
Consult your pain specialist at UPMC to see if this is the right option for you. You can help yourself or someone you love get back to living life!
