Selective high frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects, and associated systems and methods

A method for programming a spinal cord stimulation system to alleviate pain or discomfort in a patient without using paresthesia or tingling to mask the patient's sensation of pain or discomfort, wherein a percutaneous lead is positioned in the patient's spinal cord region so as to be proximate to a dorsal root, dorsal root entry zone, or dorsal root ganglion, the method comprising:

• programming a signal generator to deliver a non-paresthesia-producing electrical therapy signal;
• wherein at least a portion of the electrical therapy signal is at
• a frequency in a frequency range between 3 kHz and 20 kHz, and
• an amplitude in an amplitude range between 1 mA and 5 mA, and
• wherein the electrical therapy signal at least partially alleviates pain or discomfort without generating or using paresthesia to mask the patient's sensation of pain or discomfort.

A method for alleviating pain or discomfort in a patient, without using paresthesia or tingling to mask the patient's sensation of pain or discomfort, via a spinal cord stimulation system, wherein the system includes a pulse generator configured to generate an electrical therapy signal and a signal delivery device configured to deliver the electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region, wherein the signal delivery device is positioned laterally from a midline of the patient's spinal cord region so as to be proximate to a dorsal root, dorsal root entry zone, or dorsal root ganglion, the method comprising:

• configuring the system to deliver a non-paresthesia-producing therapy signal,
• wherein at least a portion of the therapy signal is at
• a frequency in a frequency range between 1.5 kHz and 50 kHz, and
• an amplitude range between 1 mA and 10 mA, and
• wherein the therapy signal at least partially alleviates pain or discomfort without generating or using paresthesia to mask the patient's sensation of pain or discomfort.

A method for alleviating pain or discomfort in a patient, without using paresthesia or tingling to mask the patient's sensation of pain or discomfort, via a spinal cord stimulation system, wherein the system includes a signal generator configured to generate an electrical therapy signal and a signal delivery device configured to deliver the electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region, wherein the signal delivery device is positioned laterally from a midline of the patient's spinal cord region so as to be proximate to a dorsal root, dorsal root entry zone, or dorsal root ganglion, the method comprising:

• configuring the system to deliver a non-paresthesia-producing therapy signal, wherein at least a portion of the therapy signal is at
• a frequency in a frequency range between 5 kHz and 15 kHz, and
• an amplitude in an amplitude range between 0.5 mA and 4 mA,
• wherein the therapy signal at least partially alleviates pain or discomfort without generating or using paresthesia to mask the patient's sensation of pain or discomfort.