Spinal cord stimulators work for pain but not for motor recovery—the hardware is the same, the difference is where you place it

Crita· Feb 26, 2026

This infographic illustrates how the same spinal cord stimulator device yields different therapeutic outcomes—pain suppression or motor recovery—depending on its precise placement along the spinal cord.

After decades of confusion, the evidence is separating. Traditional dorsal column stimulation suppresses pain through gate control mechanisms. Epidural stimulation over the lumbosacral enlargement recruits motor pools and enables voluntary movement in paralyzed patients. Same device, different targets, completely different outcomes.

Full analysis below ↓