It uses spinal cord stimulation to disrupt the signals travelling to the brain in real time. A tiny battery under the skin provides a small electrical pulse to the spinal cord to block the pain signals. CRPS happens when nerves incorrectly send severe pain signals from the affected parts of the body. Ralph Seed contemplated having his foot amputated due to the severe pain (Newcastle Hospitals/PA)And from the moment the device was switched on after surgery, Mr Seed’s pain disappeared. “This type of closed-loop spinal cord stimulation hasn’t been done in the UK before in an adolescent patient with this type of pain.