The Health Policy Institute states that an average of 16 million Americans experience back pain that is chronic or persistent. Back pain is one of the costliest health conditions in the country; because treatments vary in success rates, many patients keep trying new procedures and medications.
However, radiofrequency ablation is one option that more back pain sufferers are turning to because of its promising results. Learn what this treatment option involves and how it can help.
What Is Radiofrequency Ablation?
Radiofrequency ablation utilizes heat to damage and destroy diseased tissue. The radio waves heat sections of the nerves that cause pain, preventing those pain signals from going to the brain. This diminishes or even eliminates the pain you feel in those areas.
Some of the benefits of radiofrequency ablation include the following:
- Improve function
- Stop or reduce pain
- Help avoid surgery
- Reduce dependence on pain medications
Radiofrequency ablation may work particularly well for lower back pain and can help provide relief for people with chronic back pain.
Who Can Benefit from Radiofrequency Ablation?
People who suffer from chronic back, knee, or joint pain and who do not want to or cannot go through surgery can benefit from this treatment. Whether you have pain that occurs on both sides or just one side of your back, this treatment may be a beneficial choice.
How to Prepare for Treatment
During the consultation with your treatment provider, they will perform a physical exam and get your full medical history. Your doctor may ask you to get X-rays or other imaging tests done.
It is best not to eat or drink anything for at least six hours before the procedure and to bring along someone who can drive you home.
Before beginning the procedure, the provider will insert an IV line. The doctor will then gently insert a needle in the area where you feel pain. Once the needle is in the right place, your doctor will send a tiny electrode through it with a small radiofrequency current. This current causes the tissue in the area to heat up, helping to stop the pain signals from reaching your brain.
Getting Help for Back Pain
If you have chronic or persistent back pain, radiofrequency ablation could help alleviate it. This treatment is an outpatient procedure that can offer lasting pain relief, so ask your medical provider about radiofrequency ablation for back pain.
This post was written by a medical professional at Stemedix Inc. At Stemedix we provide access to Regenerative Medicine. Regenerative medicine has the natural potential to help improve symptoms sometimes lost from the progression of many conditions.