Your doctor has recommended a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) to manage your pain. SCS is an
FDA-approved, drug-free therapy that relieves chronic pain and helps you reclaim some quality
of life. Your physician and pain management team will explain how the SCS is surgically placed
to deliver gentle electrical impulses to the spinal cord, interrupting pain signals before they reach the brain. You will have the opportunity to do a brief trial with the SCS to see if it provides the amount of desired relief to help you get back to your daily activities more easily.

 

The psychological evaluation is a positive step toward controlling your pain and is required by
your insurance carrier as part of a standard protocol for eligibility for the procedure. It is
intended to assess your psychological suitability to ensure your safety and wellbeing. It provides
a starting point where you can begin to move forward at a pace that you’re comfortable with
while gaining confidence towards managing your pain effectively.
 

Your psychological evaluation begins with a consultation which provides you with an
opportunity to discuss how your past and current experiences have brought you to consider SCS
and to discuss the symptoms that are getting in the way of doing the things that matter most to
you. During the evaluation process we will talk through the measures which help me understand your emotional wellbeing and how you process stress and manage pain. This provides a more comprehensive view of your psychological framework. Once completed, I will review the results with you, answer your questions, address any remaining concerns, and if needed, offer you suggestions to help tailor your treatment plan to your unique psychological framework. I'll then send the report to your physician.

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While most people are great candidates for this procedure, we simply like to ensure there aren't
any psychological, emotional, cognitive, or lifestyle factors that might impact your safety or
recovery. If SCS isn't the best fit for you right now, I’ll update your physician with detailed
feedback to ensure they have the information needed to recommend alternative treatments or
help you effectively manage your pain until you're ready to reconsider SCS.
 

Our assessment provides safeguards that SCS is a psychologically good fit for you and is fully
aligned with your wellness goals so you can focus on the moments that matter most and get back to the activities you enjoy.