There are a lot of factors causing pain, including illness and injury, also due to nerve damage and inflammation. It signals the nervous system that something’s wrong. The brain will process information from the nerves to find out the strength and source of the pain. Chronic pain can be ongoing or last for just a few months or longer.
More than simply an inconvenience, experiencing chronic pain debilitates and affects the work and daily activities. Thankfully, radiofrequency ablation treats chronic pain caused by arthritis and any joint issues. The procedure targets the nerves that send pain signals from the joints and mainstays of back pain treatment. The radiofrequency ablation back pain treatment produces long-lasting relief by stopping the communication of the nerves and pain that processes in the brain.
Radiofrequency ablation
A pain management procedure that mainly treats arthritis or spine joint pain is called radiofrequency ablation. The small sensory nerves along the joints have the job of telling the brain how joints feel. The nerves are the main source of pain signals from the back joints.
During the radiofrequency ablation, the pain medicine physician puts specialized needles on the affected nerves and sends thermal energy through the needles. It temporarily disconnects the nerves, while it doesn’t fix the underlying cause of pain. Radiofrequency ablation blocks the pain signals from the joints. Most patients experience back pain relief with RFA.
Who needs RFA?
Patients with joint pain in the neck and back and arthritis benefit from the RFA procedure. Radiofrequency ablation is also used by patients suffering from painful arthritis at large joints, such as:
● knees
● hips
● shoulders
To qualify, patients must be suffering from chronic pain for more than six months, yet haven’t found relief until now. Even though these patients have taken several medications like chiropractic care and medications, still the pain continually occurs.
What types of pain deal with radiofrequency ablation?
RFA treatment is used to treat arthritis of the spine and targeting joint pain that involves sacroiliac joints as well.
How long does pain relief last with RFA?
Pain relief occurs anywhere, from quickly after the procedure to 4-6 weeks later. The relief from this intervention is hoped to last for approximately 9-12 months. Some patients enjoyed several years of pain relief after RFA. Pain returns after the nerves regenerate.
The RFA procedure is repeated on the same nerve when using it in the past for successful pain relief. RFA is a long-term management option for back pain.