What Is Spinal Cord Stimulation? A Tulsa Pain Doctor Answers Real Patient Questions

My Pain Management Doctor

Episode 1 — Spinal Cord Stimulation

About this series

My Pain Management Doctor is a video series where real patients sit down with the board-certified pain specialists at SEVA Healthcare and ask the questions that matter most. No medical jargon. No scripts. Just real answers about real treatments, in plain English.

The series features Dr. Jayen Patel, co-founder of SEVA Healthcare and one of the Three Best Rated Pain Doctors in Tulsa, and Dr. Amit Mirchandani, co-founder and double board-certified specialist in Anesthesiology and Pain Management, trained at Yale with his fellowship at Rush University in Chicago. Together they bring decades of experience treating the most complex chronic pain conditions across Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.

▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube

What Dr. Patel covers in this episode

• What life looks like for a patient before spinal cord stimulation and what changes after
• How SCS actually works inside the body, explained simply
• Why the new high-frequency technology means no buzzing or tingling
• The trial period and how you test it before committing to anything permanent
• What to look for when choosing an SCS specialist in Tulsa or Dallas
• Why SEVA Healthcare technology is more advanced than most other clinics

If you have been living with chronic back pain, especially after surgery, you may have heard the term spinal cord stimulation and immediately pictured something complicated, invasive, or experimental. You are not alone.

In this episode of My Pain Management Doctor, we sat down with Dr. Jayen Patel, co-founder of SEVA Healthcare and one of Tulsa's most trusted pain management physicians, and asked him the questions that chronic pain patients are actually searching for. His answers, in his own words, are below.

Whether you are in Tulsa, Dallas, or New Mexico and you are looking for a back pain doctor who can give you real answers, this is a good place to start.

What does life look like for a patient before SCS and what changes after?

Patient question

"Can you walk us through a real patient you have treated with spinal cord stimulation, what their life looked like before, what made you recommend SCS, and what changed for them after the procedure?"

Dr. Jayen Patel, SEVA Healthcare

"When I think about my typical patient with a spinal cord stimulation need, I am typically presented with a patient who has had years of back pain and has had back surgery before this is considered. These are individuals that have had back pain throughout their life, have tried various injections and interventions, and then have had surgery but have residual pain for years that escalates to a point where they are not functional."

"Before they get spinal cord stimulation, these are people that are constantly taking pain medications, are bedridden often, they cannot do activities of daily living, they have spasms all the time, any movement hurts, they have pain radiating down their legs, and it is a very depressing place for people."

"Once they have spinal cord stimulation, the switch is pretty abrupt. Without pain medications, they see their quality of life just drastically increase and improve. Their activity increases, their pain medication usage decreases, their involvement in the community, in their family, and their presence improves."

"It is pretty much a life-changing therapy. And that is why we often prescribe it, because it is one of those therapies that if it works today, it works in 10 years. It is unlike other therapies that may dwindle in their efficacy. Spinal cord stimulation is something that once you try it and choose to go forward with it, it helps you throughout your life."

10+

years of sustained relief unlike many other treatments

Night and day

Dr. Patel on the difference before and after SCS

All SEVA

clinics in Tulsa, Dallas and New Mexico offer SCS

What is actually happening inside the body when SCS is working?

Patient question

"Most people have never heard of spinal cord stimulation, or they picture something outdated and scary. Can you explain in plain language what is actually happening inside the body when SCS is working, and how is the technology different today compared to even five years ago?"

Dr. Jayen Patel, SEVA Healthcare

"It may appear scary when someone thinks about an implant, but this is something that has been around for more than two decades and has had an incredible renaissance recently because of the advance in technology as well as physician adoption. Physicians have become more proficient in installing these and the equipment has become much better."

"Spinal cord stimulation typically intercepts pain messages from the foot, leg, thigh, buttock, back, SI joint, lumbar facet joints, and the low back area, to prevent those messages from reaching the brain."

"We have recently found out that high frequency, such as 10,000 hertz or more, means there are no paresthesias, no tingling. It just replaces pain with no pain. This is an FDA-approved device and an FDA-approved therapy."

"It is one of those few things where you get to try it before you buy it. We have a trial period for a few days, and the patient makes the decision whether they want to move forward or not. Most of my patients come back saying: please do not take the trial out. I love this thing so much."

What Dr. Patel says sets SEVA Healthcare apart from other clinics

Other clinics

SEVA Healthcare

Often use older or cheaper technology

Most advanced therapies and latest technologies

Limited to certain company partnerships

Full choice of technology with no restrictions

No guarantee of who follows up with you

Same doctor before, during, and after

Standard battery life

Battery lasting over a decade, remote recharging through the skin, iPhone-like controller

What should someone look for in a back pain doctor before considering SCS?

Patient question

"If someone has been living with chronic back pain for years, maybe they have had surgery, maybe they are on medication that is not really working, what would you say to them directly? And what should they look for in a specialist?"

Dr. Jayen Patel, SEVA Healthcare

"For someone who is living with chronic back pain for years, the first thing I would say is: get to your pain management physician as soon as possible. Even if you have not had surgery, spinal cord stimulation may be a good option for you. But certainly the person who has had a failed back surgery or has not recovered from surgery, this is a therapy you absolutely want early rather than late."

"You do not want to escalate pain medications and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and get side effects from taking more and more medications before you consider this, where there is no side effect when it is installed and works."

"Once you have a spinal cord stimulator installed, you remove the risk of constant injections, constant medications two to three or four times a day, poor sleep issues. And once you have a trial, you know it is going to work. When the trial works, you are convinced this is going to help you and you move forward without a chance of it failing."

"When you have surgery, you do not have that option. You do not know if it is going to work. With spinal cord stimulation, you get to try it for two or three days or up to a week, and you know pretty quickly whether you want it."

"When you are looking for a provider, you want someone who is board certified in anesthesiology or physical medicine and rehabilitation with fellowship training and five to six years of experience. I recommend looking for a doctor who owns or practices in their own surgical center because they have full control over the technology they purchase and program, plus they are going to give you that follow-up care you really need."

Dr. Patel's checklist — what to look for in a back pain doctor in Tulsa

Board certified in anesthesiology or physical medicine and rehabilitation

Fellowship training in pain medicine

Five or more years of SCS experience

Owns or operates their own surgical center

Full control over technology, not limited to one company

Guaranteed follow-up care before, during, and after the procedure

How long is the trial period and what does it feel like?

Dr. Jayen Patel, SEVA Healthcare

"Most people know within 24 hours. With the newer technologies, there is sometimes a 24-hour washout period where it starts working and then it really works for a long period. We give them three or four days, but up to seven days is a usual trial."

"Most people have made that decision in three days and they come back and have it removed. It is very easy to remove. A medical assistant can remove it and it takes about five or six seconds. So it is a really easy procedure to do that trial."

The SCS trial at SEVA Healthcare — what to expect

Day 1

Trial leads placed through a needle, no incision. You go home the same day.

24 hrs

Most patients know within the first 24 hours whether SCS is working for them.

Day 3 to 7

Full trial period. You live your normal life and assess how much pain relief you are experiencing.

Decision

If the trial works, proceed to permanent implant. If not, leads removed in seconds. Nothing permanent was done.

Frequently asked questions about SCS in Tulsa

Is spinal cord stimulation available in Tulsa?

Yes. As Dr. Patel confirms in this episode, all SEVA Healthcare clinics in Tulsa, including South Tulsa, offer spinal cord stimulation for patients with sciatica, neuropathy, leg pain, and failed back surgery syndrome.

Who is a good candidate for SCS?

According to Dr. Patel, the strongest candidates are patients who have had failed back surgery, those with laminectomies or lumbar fusions who still have pain, and patients with chronic sciatica, neuropathy, or pain radiating down the leg. SCS can also be appropriate for patients who have not yet had surgery but have not responded to other treatments.

Will I feel the stimulation?

With the modern high-frequency technology used at SEVA Healthcare, 10,000 Hz or higher, there is no tingling or buzzing sensation. As Dr. Patel explains: "It just replaces pain with no pain."

How long does an SCS device last?

The devices used at SEVA Healthcare have batteries lasting over a decade. They are rechargeable through the skin with no additional surgery needed. The device is controlled with an iPhone-like controller that is extremely easy to use.

How do I book a spinal cord stimulation consultation in Tulsa?

SEVA Healthcare offers same-week consultations at our Tulsa Midtown and South Tulsa clinics. Telemedicine visits are also available to assess whether SCS may be right for you before your in-person appointment.

Does insurance cover spinal cord stimulation in Oklahoma?

Most major insurance plans including Medicare cover SCS when medically indicated. SEVA Healthcare's team verifies your coverage before your appointment so you know exactly what your plan covers.

Explore SEVA Healthcare

SEVA Healthcare Tulsa Midtown 2811 East 15th Street — Same-week appointments SEVA Healthcare South Tulsa 6048 A South Sheridan Road — Same-week appointments Post-surgical and complex pain Advanced therapies for failed back surgery Meet Dr. Jayen Patel Co-Founder and board-certified pain specialist

Ready to find out if SCS is right for you?

Book a consultation with Dr. Patel in Tulsa this week

Same-week and telemedicine appointments available. Most insurance accepted including Medicare. Our team verifies your coverage before your visit.

Book appointment Contact our team

Tulsa: (918) 935-3240   sevahealthcare.com

SEVA Healthcare locations

Texas Dallas Lewisville 1850 Lakepointe Drive, Suite 700
Lewisville, TX 75057 (214) 306-4116 Texas Dallas Rowlett 7501 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 135
Rowlett, TX 75088 (214) 306-4116 Oklahoma Tulsa Midtown 2811 East 15th Street, Suite 102
Tulsa, OK 74104 (918) 935-3240 Oklahoma Tulsa South Sheridan 6048 A South Sheridan Road
Tulsa, OK 74145 (918) 935-3240 New Mexico Santa Fe and Albuquerque Serving Santa Fe and Albuquerque, NM (505) 431-2501

All locations open Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm

New patients always welcome. Same-week appointments available. Most insurance accepted including Medicare.

This blog post is based on a recorded interview with Dr. Jayen Patel as part of the My Pain Management Doctor video series. Quotes have been lightly edited for readability while preserving the original meaning. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Individual results vary. Please consult a board-certified pain management specialist to determine whether spinal cord stimulation is appropriate for your specific condition.

Sources

• What Is Spinal Cord Stimulation? A Tulsa Pain Doctor Answers Real Patient Questions — www.sevahealthcare.com

This article is sponsored content by SEVA Healthcare and is for general information only — it is not medical or legal advice. Treatment options depend on an individual evaluation, and results vary from person to person. In an emergency, call 911. Spotted an error? See our corrections policy.