Handbook

Patient Trial Handbook
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perception of those signals. To apply the stimulation, a small electrical pulse generator is connected
to one or two wires, called leads, which are placed along your spinal cord. The stimulator, internal or
external, sends pulses of a low electrical current to a series of metal contacts, called electrodes,
located at the end of the lead(s). The “feeling” produced by this stimulation is a light sensation called
paresthesia. Thousands of SCS patients consider paresthesia not only a pleasant substitute feeling,
but also an effective and welcome relief from pain.
It’s important to understand that spinal cord stimulation cannot cure pain or eliminate its cause. It
does, however, provide control of and relief from certain types of pain over the area where the
paresthesia is felt. Spinal cord stimulation is a treatment choice designed to provide you with the
most effective pain relief over the widest pain area possible. When that goal is reached with the
Precision™ system, you should experience good to excellent relief from chronic pain.
Caretaking During the Trial
To speed-up your recovery following the surgery, your physician might require bed rest for the first
several hours after the surgery; administer antibiotics; schedule a mid-trial follow-up visit; and limit
your physical activity, including driving.
If your doctor approves of you driving during the trial, always turn off the external Trial Stimulator before getting
behind the wheel. Please ask for specific instructions about what you may do and should not do during the trial, and
follow all instructions carefully!