What to expect from Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)

Your Boston Scientific SCS System is designed to help you get long-term pain relief in different parts of your body so you can get back to your daily activities and feel like yourself again.

Things to know before getting an SCS system:

Your first step is to try an SCS system and see if this type of treatment is right for you.

Talk to a pain management specialist. If you don’t have one, our Doctor Locator can help you find a specialist in your area
Test drive a Boston Scientific SCS System in a short three- to seven-day trial
If the results are successful, talk with your specialist about moving forward with a long-term implant

Try SCS in a Short Trial

How should I prepare for my SCS procedure?

Your doctor will cover everything you need to know to prepare for the implant procedure, including:

When to stop eating and/or drinking before the procedure (typically, several hours in advance)
Medications you should or should not take on the day of the procedure

What to wear to the procedure (typically, comfortable or loose-fitting clothing)
Arranging for a family member or friend to drive you to and from the procedure

What is the SCS procedure like?

The procedure, usually one to two hours, involves several steps:

You’ll undergo light sedation and a local anesthetic will be applied to the incision area
The leads are placed along your spinal cord
The leads are connected to the stimulator
The stimulator is implanted under your skin (usually the buttock area)
The doctor closes up the incisions and you’ll move to a recovery area where you’ll rest until you’re well enough to go home
Before you leave, you’ll receive instructions on postoperative care and how to use the remote control to adjust your therapy

When should I call my doctor?

Your healthcare team will give you specifics about when you should call them. In general, call your doctor if you:

Experience pain around the implant for more than two weeks
Notice a lot of redness around the wound areas (your doctor should be aware so he or she can check for infection or, in rare cases, a reaction to the implant)

I just got my SCS system. What’s next?

Once you have your Boston Scientific SCS System, you may feel eager to get back to activities that may now be less painful. But recovering from any procedure takes time. Here are some general tips, but be sure to follow your doctor’s recommendations.

How to use your SCS system*

Many people experience relief right away, but for some it may take some time to learn the most effective settings.

Take time to read all of the information provided by your doctor
Get comfortable with learning how to use the remote control for your SCS system
Talk with your doctor about your settings as they can be personalized to optimize your relief

Becoming active again^*

In the first two weeks after your SCS procedure, limit some activities as you heal. Do not:

Lift objects of more than five pounds
Do rigorous physical activity such as twisting, bending, or climbing
Raise your arms above your head if you had new leads implanted

What is life like with a Boston Scientific SCS system?

Boston Scientific Clinical Care Specialist Kira Trexler shares her own experience of what life is like for her after getting the SCS implant.

Watch the Video

Why choose
Boston Scientific?

Boston Scientific pain management solutions offer key advantages backed by solid clinical evidence. In particular, therapy that can be personalized to treat your unique pain may help you find relief other treatments have failed to provide.

See Why Boston Scientific Matters

Wondering if SCS may be right for you?

Take this quick quiz and find out. ⟶

*Please refer to your Instructions for Use.

Results from case studies are not necessarily predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary.

Results from different clinical investigations are not directly comparable. Information provided for educational purposes only.

Indications for Use: The Boston Scientific Spinal Cord Stimulator Systems are indicated as an aid in the management of chronic intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs including unilateral or bilateral pain associated with the following: failed back surgery syndrome, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Types I and II, intractable low back pain and leg pain, Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the lower extremities, radicular pain syndrome, radiculopathies resulting in pain secondary to failed back syndrome or herniated disc, epidural fibrosis, degenerative disc disease (herniated disc pain refractory to conservative and surgical interventions), arachnoiditis, multiple back surgeries. The Boston Scientific Spectra WaveWriter™, WaveWriter Alpha™ and WaveWriter Alpha™ Prime SCS Systems are also indicated as an aid in the management of chronic intractable unilateral or bilateral low back and leg pain without prior back surgery.

Contraindications. The Spinal Cord Stimulator systems are not for patients who are unable to operate the system, have failed trial stimulation by failing to receive effective pain relief, are poor surgical candidates, or are pregnant.

Boston Scientific’s ImageReady™ MRI Technology makes safe MRI head scans possible. Patients implanted with the Precision Spectra™ or Spectra WaveWriter™ Spinal Cord Stimulator Systems with ImageReady™ MRI Technology are "MR Conditional" only when exposed to the MRI environment under the specific conditions defined in the applicable ImageReady™ MRI Head Only Guidelines for Precision Spectra™ or Spectra WaveWriter™ Spinal Cord Stimulator Systems.

Boston Scientific’s ImageReady™ MRI Full Body Technology makes safe MRI scans possible. The Precision Montage™ MRI, WaveWriter Alpha™ and WaveWriter Alpha™ Prime SCS Systems with ImageReady™ MRI Full Body Technology are “MR Conditional” only when exposed to the MRI environment under the specific conditions defined in the applicable ImageReady™ MRI Full Body Guidelines for Precision Montage™ MRI or WaveWriter Alpha™ and WaveWriter Alpha™ Prime Spinal Cord Stimulator Systems.

Warnings. Patients implanted with Boston Scientific Spinal Cord Stimulator Systems without ImageReady™ MRI Technology should not be exposed to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Exposure to MRI may result in dislodgement of the stimulator or leads, heating of the stimulator, severe damage to the stimulator electronics and an uncomfortable or jolting sensation. As a Spinal Cord Stimulation patient, you should not have diathermy as either a treatment for a medical condition or as part of a surgical procedure. Strong electromagnetic fields, such as power generators or theft detection systems, can potentially turn the stimulator off, or cause uncomfortable jolting stimulation. The system should not be charged while sleeping. The Spinal Cord Stimulator system may interfere with the operation of implanted sensing stimulators such as pacemakers or implanted cardiac defibrillators. Advise your physician that you have a Spinal Cord Stimulator before going through with other implantable device therapies so that medical decisions can be made and appropriate safety measures taken. Patients using therapy that generates paresthesia should not operate motorized vehicles such as automobiles or potentially dangerous machinery and equipment with the stimulation on. Stimulation must be turned off first in such cases. For therapy that does not generate paresthesia (i.e. subperception therapy) it is less likely that sudden stimulation changes resulting in distraction could occur while having stimulation on when operating moving vehicles, machinery, and equipment. Your doctor may be able to provide additional information on the Boston Scientific Spinal Cord Stimulator systems. For complete indications for use, contraindications, warnings, precautions, and side effects, call 866.360.4747 or visit Pain.com. Caution: U.S. Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician.

Indications for Use: The Superion™ Indirect Decompression System (IDS) is indicated to treat skeletally mature patients suffering from pain, numbness, and/or cramping in the legs (neurogenic intermittent claudication) secondary to a diagnosis of moderate degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis, with or without Grade 1 spondylolisthesis, having radiographic evidence of thickened ligamentum flavum, narrowed lateral recess, and/or central canal or foraminal narrowing. The Superion™ Interspinous Spacer is indicated for those patients with impaired physical function who experience relief in flexion from symptoms of leg/buttock/groin pain, with or without back pain, who have undergone at least 6 months of non-operative treatment. The Superion Interspinous Spacer may be implanted at one or two adjacent lumbar levels in patients in whom treatment is indicated at no more than two levels, from L1 to L5. Contraindications, warnings, precautions, side effects. The Superion Indirect Decompression System (IDS) is contraindicated for patients who: have spinal anatomy that prevent implantation of the device or cause the device to be unstable in situ (i.e., degenerative spondylolisthesis greater than grade 1), Cauda equina syndrome, or prior decompression or fusion at the index level, scoliosis or spinous process fractures, osteoporosis, infection, allergy or reaction to any metal or implant or a high Body Mass Index. Avoid strenuous activity for 6 weeks after surgery, contact your physician if there is fluid leaking from your incision, if you have pain, swelling or numbness in your legs or buttocks or if you fall. Refer to the Instructions for Use provided on www.vertiflex.com for additional Indications for Use, contraindications information and potential adverse effects, warnings, and precautions prior to using this product. Caution: U.S. Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician.

Indications for Use: The Boston Scientific Radiofrequency Generators, associated Radiofrequency Lesion Probes and RF Cannula are indicated for use in procedures to create radiofrequency lesions for the treatment of pain or for lesioning nerve tissue for functional neurosurgical procedures. The Boston Scientific RF Injection Electrodes are used for percutaneous nerve blocks with local anesthetic solution for radiofrequency lesioning of peripheral nerve tissue only. The Boston Scientific LCED and Stereotactic TCD Electrodes are indicated for use in radiofrequency (RF) heat lesioning of nervous tissue including the Central Nervous System.

Warnings: The Boston Scientific RF devices may cause interference with active devices such as neurostimulators, cardiac pacemakers, and defibrillators. Interference may affect the action of these active devices or may damage them. For appropriate guidance, consult the instructions for use for these active devices. Caution: U.S. Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician.

§The physician locator tool identifies pain management specialists in your area who have met certain qualifying criteria and are experienced with one or more of Boston Scientific pain management therapies. All treatment options should be discussed thoroughly with a pain management specialist.