A Spinal Cord Stimulator Restores Hope and Mobility for Scott
Scott Beener lived with chronic pain for years. It was mostly located in his lower back, radiating down to his legs. His pain was so debilitating that he was unable to walk most of the time and was confined to a wheelchair.
“I wasn’t able to do anything around the house. Everything was basically put on my wife,” Scott said. “Yard work, working full time. Everything was put on my wife’s shoulders.”
After some conservative therapies and an unsuccessful surgery, Scott was referred to UF Health Pain Medicine and Juan Mora, MD, medical director for UF Health Pain Medicine – Ayers. Dr. Mora recommended a spinal cord stimulator.
Spinal cord stimulation uses mild electric currents to block nerve impulses in the spine. Leads for the electrical current are placed under the skin and on the spinal cord. These leads are connected to a small device worn outside the body that can be carried like a cell phone. The minimally invasive procedure takes about one hour, and patients can return home on the same day.
Scott received his spinal cord stimulator in December 2024 and said that he started to feel better right away.
“I was up and walking the next day,” he said. “I don’t even know that it is running. I have no pain, no issues, and I’m back up doing the things that I want to do, which is absolutely amazing.”
Dr. Mora emphasized the significance of the procedure on Scott’s quality of life.
“The thing that was limiting his ability to walk was pain,” Dr. Mora said. “Once we were able to help with his pain, his ability to walk returned, and his ability to do the normal, daily activities that we take for granted actually returned.”
Scott said the whole UF Health team was incredibly supportive and caring.
“Dr. Mora is a first-class, top-notch physician that I would recommend to anyone,” Scott said. “He was passionate. He was caring. He really wanted me to make the best choice that I could, and he took the time to explain everything in detail through the whole recovery process.”
The procedure has given Scott the independence he thought he would never have again. He intends to return to work, go horseback riding and take trips with his family.
“It has absolutely changed my life,” Scott said. “We haven’t had a vacation for at least five years since this happened, so we’d like to get out and enjoy our life a little bit more, and this has given me the freedom to do that.”
Scott is quick to share the success he’s had with his spinal cord stimulator with anyone going through a similar experience.
“If I can encourage anyone going through the pain that I’ve been going through, if I can give anyone a little bit of hope that this procedure works, that’s what I am here to do: to tell those who think that their lives are over and that they’re going to be in pain forever that their lives aren’t over,” Scott said. “If this procedure is an option for them, I’m here to give them support.”