A spinal cord stimulator is a small implanted device with thin leads placed in the epidural space. It sends mild electrical signals along the spinal cord so that the pain messages arriving from below are altered before they reach the brain. Some systems produce a gentle tingling in the painful area; others work without any sensation at all.
It is not a cure and it is not aimed at the structure causing the trouble. It is a way of turning the volume down on a pain system that has stayed switched on long after the original injury stopped mattering.
The step that makes this decision safe is the trial. Temporary leads are placed through the skin, connected to an external generator you wear, and you go home and live with it for several days. Sleeping, driving, working, the stairs at home — the trial answers the only question that matters, which is whether it helps you specifically.
The leads come out at the end of the trial period whatever you decide. If the answer is no, nothing has been implanted and nothing has been altered. If the answer is yes, you are making the decision with real evidence rather than a brochure.
Interventional appointments for the Denver metro are at our Northglenn clinic, 11990 Grant Street off I-25 at 120th. Assessment, programming discussions and follow-up can sit at whichever Denver-area clinic you already use.
That matters more with a stimulator than with a one-off injection, because this is a relationship rather than a single appointment. Having the follow-up close to home while the procedural work stays at Northglenn is the arrangement most people end up wanting.
It is usually considered for pain that has persisted after spine surgery, for nerve pain in the legs or feet that has not responded to anything else, and for certain long-standing regional pain problems. The common thread is that the conservative and interventional routes have already been tried honestly.
It is not a first step and nobody should offer it as one. A thorough evaluation comes before it, because the people who do well with a stimulator are a specific group and the assessment exists to find out whether you are in it.
Devices of this kind usually require prior authorisation, and a documented history of what has already been tried is part of that. The record built during your earlier care is what supports it, which is one more reason the trial and the paperwork are handled in sequence rather than rushed.
Most major commercial plans are accepted in Colorado and we are in network with most Medicare Advantage plans. No referral is needed to be assessed and appointments are usually available within the same week.
A general account of spinal cord stimulator is here, alongside Pain Management in Denver.
Every clinic below has Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Acupuncture and Pain Management on one chart, so care can move between them without a new referral.
Downtown out through the north, west, south and east suburbs.
Academy, InterQuest and Tenderfoot cover the north, central and south of the city.
Harmony in Fort Collins and our Greeley clinic serve Larimer and Weld counties.
Across the Valley, from the West Valley through Phoenix to the East Valley.
Several days — long enough to test it against your ordinary week rather than a quiet afternoon at home.
Completely. The temporary leads are removed at the end of it regardless of the outcome.
That depends on the system. Some produce a light tingling where the pain was; others are designed to work without any sensation.
Many current systems are MRI conditional, with specific conditions attached. It is a question worth asking directly before anything is implanted.
The interventional appointments are at Northglenn on Grant Street. Assessment and follow-up can be at your usual Denver-area clinic.
Then no device is implanted. The trial exists precisely so that answer costs you a week rather than a surgery.
No. It changes how pain signals are carried. The strengthening and the rest of the plan still matter.
No. You can book an assessment directly for Pain Management, usually within the same week.
Spinal Cord Stimulator is performed in office at our Northglenn clinic. No referral is needed to be evaluated, and appointments are usually available within the same week.
