What conditions can spinal cord stimulation treat?

SCS is FDA-approved for chronic back and leg pain, failed back surgery syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and painful diabetic neuropathy. It may also help with other neuropathic pain conditions.

How is the trial period conducted?

The trial involves placing temporary leads near the spinal cord, connected to an external stimulator worn on a belt. The trial typically lasts 5-7 days, during which you can evaluate the pain relief and decide if SCS is right for you.

Is spinal cord stimulation painful?

The implant procedure is performed under sedation or local anesthesia. Most patients report minimal discomfort during the procedure. Afterward, there may be some soreness at the implant site, which resolves within a few days.

Can I have an MRI with a spinal cord stimulator?

Many modern SCS systems are MRI-compatible, allowing you to undergo MRI scans safely. Our team will discuss compatible options based on your needs.

How long does the battery last?

Most modern SCS systems use rechargeable batteries that last up to 10 years. Non-rechargeable batteries typically last 2-5 years. The battery replacement procedure is minimally invasive.

Will I feel the stimulation?

Most patients feel a gentle tingling sensation (paresthesia) in the area of their pain. Newer technology also offers sub-perception stimulation, which provides pain relief without any noticeable sensation.

Is spinal cord stimulation reversible?

Yes, SCS is fully reversible. The device and leads can be removed if needed without permanent effects on the spine or nervous system.

How long does recovery take after implant?

Most patients resume light activities within 1-2 weeks and full activities within 4-6 weeks. Your specialist will provide specific activity guidelines based on your procedure.

Will spinal cord stimulation completely eliminate my pain?

SCS does not eliminate pain completely, and results vary from person to person. In the randomized trials that established SCS for failed back surgery syndrome, roughly half of appropriately selected patients achieved at least a 50% reduction in pain — with higher responder rates reported for newer high-frequency systems. It works best when combined with other pain management strategies such as physical therapy.

How do I schedule a consultation for spinal cord stimulation?

Scheduling a consultation is simple. Our team will review your pain history, previous treatments, and medical records to determine if you are a candidate for SCS therapy.

Do I have to travel out of Port Arthur for spinal cord stimulation?

No. Seamless Medical Centers is based in Port Arthur and serves the Golden Triangle and Southeast Texas — Port Arthur, Beaumont, Orange, Nederland, Groves, and Port Neches. Dr. Zagum Bhatti performs the SCS trial, the permanent implant, and follow-up programming locally at our Port Arthur center.

Advanced Pain Management

Regain Control of Your Life with Spinal Cord Stimulation

Patients from Port Arthur, TX are seen at our Port Arthur office. A minimally invasive therapy that uses electrical impulses to interrupt chronic pain signals, providing relief from back, leg, and nerve pain.

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Medically reviewed by Zagum Bhatti, M.D. — Board-Certified Interventional Radiologist

Last reviewed: July 4, 2026

Patients from Port Arthur, TX are seen at our office located at 3300 Jimmy Johnson Blvd, Suite #130, Port Arthur, TX 77642.

What Is Spinal Cord Stimulation?

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an advanced pain management therapy that uses a small implanted device to deliver mild electrical pulses to the spinal cord. These pulses interrupt pain signals before they reach the brain, replacing the sensation of pain with a gentle tingling feeling. SCS is particularly effective for chronic back pain, nerve pain, failed back surgery syndrome, and complex regional pain syndrome. The procedure is reversible and can be customized to each patient's specific pain patterns.

Serving Port Arthur and the Golden Triangle. Seamless Medical Centers is based right here in Port Arthur, serving patients across Beaumont, Orange, Nederland, Groves, Port Neches, and Southeast Texas who live with chronic back, leg, and nerve pain. Board-certified interventional radiologist Dr. Zagum Bhatti performs the spinal cord stimulation trial and, for patients who respond, the permanent implant, with follow-up programming handled locally rather than requiring travel out of the region.

Who It's For

Who Can Benefit from Spinal Cord Stimulation?

Spinal cord stimulation is designed for individuals with chronic pain that has not responded to more conservative treatments such as physical therapy, medications, or injections. It offers an alternative to long-term opioid use and can significantly improve quality of life.

Individuals with Chronic Back Pain

For patients with persistent back pain that has not improved with other treatments, spinal cord stimulation may provide substantial relief by interrupting pain signals at the spinal level.

Patients with Nerve Pain in the Extremities

Neuropathic pain conditions such as diabetic neuropathy or peripheral neuropathy can be difficult to treat. SCS targets these nerve pathways to reduce burning, tingling, and shooting pain.

Individuals with Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Some patients continue to experience pain even after back surgery. SCS offers a minimally invasive option that can help manage persistent post-surgical pain.

Patients Seeking an Alternative to Opioid Medications

For individuals seeking a non-opioid approach to chronic pain, spinal cord stimulation may improve pain control and daily function. Some patients are able to reduce their pain medication afterward, though evidence on opioid reduction is mixed — the goal is better pain control, not a guarantee of stopping medication.

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Common Symptoms

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Patients with Chronic Pain

Chronic pain affects every aspect of life — from sleep and work to relationships and mental health. For patients who have not found relief with other approaches, spinal cord stimulation offers a well-established, reversible option.

Chronic back pain lasting more than 6 months

Burning, shooting, or stabbing nerve pain

Pain after back surgery that has not resolved

Pain that limits daily activities and mobility

Pain that has not responded to medications

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)

Before a permanent implant, patients undergo a trial period where a temporary stimulator is placed to evaluate effectiveness. This allows patients to experience the therapy and confirm it provides meaningful pain relief before committing to the permanent implant.

The permanent implant involves placing a small pulse generator under the skin and thin wires (leads) near the spinal cord. The device is programmed to match your specific pain patterns, and adjustments can be made as needed using a remote control.

If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule a consultation now →

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Safety & Recovery

Safety, Recovery, and What to Expect

Both stages are outpatient with same-day discharge at our Port Arthur center. The trial uses temporary leads under conscious sedation; the permanent implant takes 60-90 minutes.

Recovery timeline

Expect lifting and bending restrictions for about six weeks while the leads stabilize, light daily activity within 1-2 weeks, and full unrestricted activity by roughly 6-8 weeks.

Possible side effects

Most common are temporary implant-site soreness, bruising, and lead-position sensitivity. Less common: lead migration or loss of stimulation coverage, sometimes needing reprogramming or revision. Rare: infection, epidural bleeding, or dural puncture. Not everyone who does well in the trial keeps the same relief long-term; the device is reprogrammable and fully removable.

When SCS is deferred

SCS is generally deferred for active untreated infection, certain bleeding-risk or anticoagulation situations, unmanaged psychological factors identified on screening, or where imaging suggests a correctable structural cause better treated another way. Candidacy is confirmed by Dr. Zagum Bhatti.

Are You a Candidate for SCS?

If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, you may be a candidate for this treatment.

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Question 1 of 2

How long have you had moderate to severe back pain?

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Consultation

Schedule Your SCS Consultation at Our Port Arthur Medical Center

Dr. Zagum Bhatti reviews whether spinal cord stimulation is a reasonable next step — and, because SCS is trialed first, you learn whether it works for you before any permanent implant.

Review your pain history, prior treatments, and imaging
Discuss whether an SCS trial is appropriate
Explain the trial-then-implant pathway and psychological screening
Confirm candidacy with Dr. Zagum Bhatti
Verify insurance benefits and handle prior authorization

Book Your Consultation→Call (409) 213-9575

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About Your Physician

Zagum Bhatti, M.D.

Board-Certified Interventional Radiologist

Founder & Chief Medical Officer; Interventional Radiologist

Dr. Zagum Bhatti is a board-certified, dual-fellowship-trained interventional radiologist and a former Assistant Professor of Vascular & Interventional Radiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). He has dedicated his career to minimally invasive, image-guided procedures that treat serious conditions without open surgery. As Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Seamless Medical Centers, he brings academic-level expertise — including published peer-reviewed research in vascular and interventional radiology — to a community practice in Southeast Texas, making advanced treatments for enlarged prostate, uterine fibroids, knee osteoarthritis, peripheral artery disease, and chronic pain available close to home.

Education & training

B.S., Biochemistry — University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (2001–2004)
Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) — Medical College of Wisconsin (2004–2008)
Residency, Diagnostic Radiology — Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (2008–2012)
Fellowship, Neuroradiology — Medical College of Wisconsin (2013–2014)
Fellowship, Vascular & Interventional Radiology — Rush University Medical Center (Rush Medical College) (2014–2015)

Board certification & licensure

Board Certified in Interventional Radiology / Diagnostic Radiology, American Board of Radiology — actively maintained in the ABR Continuing Certification (MOC) program
Texas Medical License #Q3852
NPI 1053577890

Selected publications

Portal Venous Interventions: How to Recognize, Avoid, or Get Out of Trouble in Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS), Balloon Occlusion Sclerosis (BRTO), and Portal Vein Embolization (PVE). Techniques in Vascular and Interventional Radiology 2018;21(4):267-287.
Percutaneous Venous Interventions in the Pulmonary Vascular, Central and Peripheral Venous Systems: How to Recognize, Avoid and Treat Complications. Techniques in Vascular and Interventional Radiology 2018;21(4):228-241.
Spontaneous Chyluria Treated with Retrograde Embolization via Direct Thoracic Duct Access at the Left Neck. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology 2019;30(5):772-774.
Management of Vascular Complications of Extra-corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO). Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy 2018;8(3):372-377.

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Medical Sources

The clinical information on this page is supported by the following peer-reviewed studies and professional medical society guidance.

North RB et al., Neurosurgery 2005;56(1):98-106 (PMID 15617591) — SCS vs. repeated lumbosacral surgery for failed back surgery syndrome (RCT, 2-year)
Kemler MA et al., J Neurosurg 2008;108:292-298 (PMID 18240925) — CRPS 5-year follow-up — early advantage over conservative care not sustained
Traeger AC et al., Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2023, CD014789 (PMID 36878313) — SCS for low-back pain — benefit questioned
Dhruva SS et al., JAMA Neurol 2023;80(1):18-29 (PMID 36342695) — No opioid reduction versus conventional care — counter-caveat to the opioid claim
Rupp A et al., Interv Pain Med 2022;1(4):100148 (PMID 39238856) — Opioid figure — narrative review; ~47% of patients reduced use, ~33-50% mean MME decrease; heterogeneous, industry-affiliated, no statistics
Thomson S, Br J Pain 2013;7(1):56-59 (PMC4590156) — FBSS epidemiology — spinal-surgery failure 10-40%
FDA PMA — Senza SCS System (P130022) — SCS FDA premarket approval reference

Ready to learn more?

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Bhatti to discuss your treatment options and see if this procedure is right for you.

Most major plans accepted, including Medicare/Medicaid — we verify before your visit.