Spinal Cord Stimulator

An implanted device that delivers mild electrical pulses to the spinal cord through electrodes placed in the epidural space, intended to interrupt or mask chronic pain signals before they reach the brain, most often used for pain in the back or limbs that has not responded to surgery or other treatment. A small pulse generator, implanted under the skin, is connected to the electrode leads and can be adjusted from outside the body with a handheld programmer, letting the pattern and strength of stimulation be tuned to the individual patient over time. The approach builds on the gate control theory of pain proposed in the 1960s, which held that stimulating certain nerve fibers could reduce the perception of pain carried by others, and clinical devices reached practical use not long afterward, with the technology growing steadily more sophisticated in its electrode design and stimulation patterns in the decades since. Patients typically undergo a temporary trial with an external stimulator before a permanent device is implanted, so that both the patient and their physician can judge whether the therapy meaningfully reduces pain before committing to surgery.