If you’re living with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), you already know that this isn’t just “normal” pain. CRPS is a chronic condition that often begins after an injury, fracture, or surgery—something that should have healed long ago. Yet for reasons not fully understood, the pain lingers, intensifies, and spreads. What starts as a localized issue can turn into an overwhelming, burning, or throbbing sensation that affects your entire sense of well-being.
At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, we see firsthand how CRPS can deeply impact every aspect of life. It’s not just about the nerves—it’s about how those overactive pain signals disrupt mobility, sleep, mood, and independence. Many patients tell us that daily tasks they once took for granted—like buttoning a shirt or holding a coffee mug—now feel impossible. Over time, that constant discomfort can lead to emotional exhaustion, depression, and isolation, making recovery even more difficult.
Traditional treatments for CRPS—such as medications, nerve blocks, or physical therapy—can offer partial relief, but they don’t always address the root cause: the nerve’s faulty pain signaling. That’s why so many patients end up frustrated, feeling like they’ve “tried everything” without real progress.
This is where modern medicine offers new hope. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has emerged as a breakthrough for patients with chronic nerve pain conditions like CRPS. By directly targeting how the body perceives pain, spinal cord stimulators are helping people reclaim control over their lives—often when all other treatments have fallen short.
A spinal cord stimulator (SCS) is a small, implanted device that delivers gentle electrical pulses to specific nerves along the spinal cord. These signals act like a filter, interrupting pain messages before they reach your brain. In simpler terms, the device doesn’t take away the cause of the pain—it changes how your body perceives it.
The technology is minimally invasive and completely reversible. The device is placed under the skin through a small incision, and patients can even “test drive” it during a short trial period before deciding on permanent implantation. Once activated, patients can use a handheld controller to adjust their settings, much like using a remote control to find the right comfort level.
Unlike medications that can cause side effects or dependency, or surgeries that carry longer recovery times, spinal cord stimulation offers relief without long-term drug use or extensive downtime. For many CRPS patients, it’s the difference between enduring pain and finally living again.
One of the most promising advancements in modern pain management is how well spinal cord stimulation (SCS) works for patients living with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). CRPS is unlike most chronic pain conditions—it’s not simply the result of damaged tissue. Instead, it’s caused by overactive nerve signals and persistent inflammation within the affected limb. These hyperactive nerves continue to send pain messages to the brain long after the original injury has healed.
This is exactly where spinal cord stimulation makes a difference. SCS therapy works by calming those overactive pain signals at the source—along the spinal cord—before they reach the brain. The result? Pain that once felt unbearable becomes more manageable, allowing patients to regain mobility, strength, and confidence in their daily activities.
Beyond pain relief, many CRPS patients notice that their blood flow improves after SCS therapy. Poor circulation is a common issue in CRPS, often leading to cold, discolored, or hypersensitive limbs. The gentle electrical impulses from the stimulator can help normalize nerve activity and enhance blood flow, reducing swelling and improving tissue health. Over time, patients often report that their affected limb feels warmer, stronger, and more functional—a crucial step toward regaining independence and restoring quality of life.
Clinical studies consistently show that spinal cord stimulation can produce significant, lasting relief for CRPS patients. Research has demonstrated that many individuals experience a 50–80% reduction in pain intensity, along with measurable improvements in physical function and emotional well-being. In some cases, patients who were once dependent on mobility aids or high-dose pain medications have been able to reduce or eliminate those needs after successful SCS treatment.
At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, we’ve seen these results firsthand. When the body is finally freed from the constant barrage of pain signals, healing can begin—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.
Another advantage of SCS therapy is that it’s fully customizable. Using a small handheld controller, patients can adjust the device’s settings to fine-tune their comfort throughout the day. Whether they need more support in the morning or less stimulation at rest, this level of control helps patients stay active and engaged in their recovery journey.
And because CRPS affects each person differently, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
Every great outcome starts with a thorough, thoughtful assessment. During your consultation, our team performs a comprehensive examination and imaging studies to confirm your CRPS diagnosis and evaluate your candidacy for spinal cord stimulation.
This stage is about understanding you—your history, your pain patterns, your goals for recovery. Because CRPS affects each person differently, we take a collaborative approach, combining the expertise of pain management specialists, spine surgeons, and physical therapists. Together, we determine if SCS is the safest and most effective next step in your treatment plan.
Before any permanent implantation, you’ll have the opportunity to “test drive” the therapy through a short, non-surgical trial phase. During this step, temporary leads (thin, flexible wires) are placed near your spinal cord and connected to an external stimulator.
This allows you to experience what SCS feels like and how much relief it can provide—without a long-term commitment. Most patients notice a 50–80% reduction in pain during the trial period, often describing the sensation as a gentle tingling or wave of relief replacing their pain.
If your trial is successful, the next step is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure, typically performed at our Marietta Ambulatory Surgery Center, one of Medici’s state-of-the-art facilities.
During the procedure, the leads are carefully placed in their permanent position, and a small battery-powered pulse generator is implanted under the skin, usually near the lower back or abdomen. Because it’s minimally invasive, recovery is relatively quick—most patients return to light activities within a few days and experience significant, sustained pain relief soon after.
Your journey doesn’t end with the implantation—it’s just the beginning of your transformation. Once your spinal cord stimulator is in place, we’ll work closely with you to fine-tune the device for optimal comfort and effectiveness.
Our specialists use advanced programming tools to adjust the stimulation settings, ensuring your therapy aligns perfectly with your daily activities and pain patterns. You’ll have ongoing support from our Medici team, so you’re never navigating recovery alone.
To enhance healing and improve long-term outcomes, many of our patients combine SCS with complementary therapies such as physical therapy, regenerative medicine, and myofascial release. These treatments work synergistically, helping your body move better, heal faster, and maintain balance over time.
If you’ve been living with CRPS, you know how exhausting it can be to wake up each day wondering if the pain will ever stop. The truth is—you don’t have to keep living that way.
Spinal cord stimulation has given thousands of people lasting relief and renewed independence. It’s a proven, science-backed treatment that addresses pain at its source, helping the body restore balance and function.
At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, our mission is to help patients like you rediscover life beyond pain. Through advanced technology, personalized care, and compassionate expertise, we help you move, feel, and live better—without relying on invasive surgeries or long-term medications.
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