Spinal Cord Stimulation vs Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation

Alice had a shooting pain running down her back.

She tried injections, physical therapy, medications, and even surgery. Nothing worked. She still lived with chronic pain as part of her daily life – and she was done with it.

Her doctor gave her some hope when she told Alice about spinal cord stimulation. Alice went home and did her research. But she remembered the doctor also mentioned another stimulation option: dorsal root ganglion.

She remembered the two procedures were quite similar. Both are advanced nerve stimulation therapies. Both can help reduce her chronic pain. But they work differently. And that’s where Alice got stuck. Which one would work better for her?

That’s what we’ll try and get to the bottom of here. If you’re faced with a choice between spinal cord stimulation and dorsal root ganglion stimulation, you’re going to want to read carefully. The answer will be different for each reader, depending on your unique situation.

Read on and get a better idea which of the two stimulation options seems to fit your chronic pain. Then consult Dr. Saurabh Dang at Hudson Pain and Spine for a personal evaluation to confirm whether one of these treatments is right for you.

Comparing SCS and DRG therapies

When all else fails, these two therapies attack the problem from the inside. Using a medical device implanted in your body, both spinal cord stimulation and dorsal root ganglion stimulation treat severe pain using electrical currents to alter pain signals.

We typically try physical therapy, medication, and even surgery before we arrive at SCS and DRG. But if none of the above have been effective for you, then one of these could be your answer.

They’re two similar treatments often mentioned in the same vein, but they’re different enough that the choice matters. Because SCS takes a broader target while DRG zeroes in on one area. Think of it this way: spinal cord stimulation treats the whole neighborhood. Dorsal root ganglion stimulation treats a specific house.

So how do you decide? Find out which treatment is appropriate for your pain.

What is Spinal Cord Stimulation?

This treatment effectively aims to turn the volume down on your pain. By muting your body’s pain signals using electrical currents traveling from your nerves to your brain along your spinal cord. A spinal cord stimulator device emits its own electrical current – a safe alternative – that helps your brain tone out the painful signals. So while it doesn’t completely eliminate the problem, it helps you quiet the noise enough to allow you to focus your mind on anything besides pain.

What Spinal Cord Stimulation treats

Failed back surgery syndrome When you’ve already had a procedure, yet the pain persists in your back or leg.

Bilateral leg pain Pain that affects both legs, often caused by muscle fatigue.

Peripheral neuropathy A disruption of nerve signaling outside the brain and spinal cord.

Widespread lower back pain Caused by muscle or ligament strain, spinal issues, or systemic conditions.

What is Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation?

The DRG therapy pinpoints and blocks pain to a specific region by essentially redirecting traffic through the nerve center. Here, we target the dorsal root ganglion – a group of neurons living just outside the spinal cord that relay sensory information to the central nervous system. By applying electrical currents to this specific region, this focused stimulation blocks pain signals before they reach the brain.

What Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation treats

CRPS Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, which causes burning pain in a specific area.

Groin pain Most often a result of tendon, muscle, or ligament strain.

Foot pain Felt in the heel, arch, or toes and typically due to overuse, injury, or arthritic or nerve issues.

Knee pain post-surgery If the pain persists longer than a few weeks, that could be a sign of infection or a failed implant.

Focal nerve pain Throbbing pain, numbness, or weakness in a localized area.

How the stimulation feels

Tingling is the most common way to describe it!

That subtle sensation is known medically as paresthesia, and it’s similar to your foot falling asleep, but this time it’s emitted by the generator installed in your body. It can feel like pins and needles or a gentle buzzing, but most of all it acts as a white noise machine humming over your pain, restoring peace in your body once and for all.

Note: During the procedure itself, you’ll be under anesthesia – so you won’t feel a thing.

Can DRG work if traditional SCS failed?

Yes. Because the two techniques target different neurological structures, dorsal root ganglion stimulation can act as a backup plan for spinal cord stimulation therapy.

There are a few reasons DRG can work when SCS doesn’t. First, DRG is hyper-focused on an isolated area, whereas SCS acts more broadly. DRG’s effects can also be less reactive than SCS to your body movements and position. Finally, DRG works on different spinal pathways than SCS.

So while these two treatments can sound interchangeable, a failed SCS treatment is not the end of the road.

How Hudson Pain and Spine can help

Folks in the Englewood, New Jersey area with chronic back pain should contact Hudson Pain and Spine. Dr. Saurabh Dang, a double board-certified pain management specialist and an expert in SCS and DRG treatment. He can help determine if one of these treatments is right for you.

If your pain lasts more than two weeks, includes radiating pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness, and limits your ability to work, sleep, or do normal activities, contact Hudson Pain and Spine to schedule a consultation.

Hudson Pain and Spine 25 Rockwood Place, Suite 335, Englewood, NJ 07631 Phone: (201) 605-9000