Chronic back pain can significantly affect your daily life, limiting mobility and reducing your quality of life. If physical therapy, steroid injections, or medications haven’t provided lasting relief, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) might be the next step in managing your pain. This minimally invasive procedure targets the source of pain directly, offering long-term relief and improving functionality.
What is Radiofrequency Ablation?
Radiofrequency ablation is a pain management technique where heat is used to create a lesion on specific nerves, disrupting their ability to transmit pain signals to the brain. This procedure is especially effective for individuals with chronic back pain caused by arthritis, degenerative joint conditions, or nerve irritation linked to facet or sacroiliac joints.
By interrupting pain at its source, RFA provides a powerful alternative for patients who haven’t found relief through other treatments, such as physical therapy or steroid injections.
What Does Radiofrequency Ablation Treat?
RFA is commonly used to treat chronic pain caused by:
- Facet joint pain: Facet joints along the spine can become irritated due to arthritis or injury, leading to persistent back pain.
- Sacroiliac joint pain: The sacroiliac joints connect the spine to the pelvis and can cause discomfort in the lower back or hips when inflamed.
- Nerve-related pain: Irritated or compressed nerves in the spine may contribute to radiating pain in the back, neck, or legs.
In addition to treating chronic back pain, radiofrequency ablation can be used for pain in other areas, including the neck, knees, pelvis, hands, and feet.
Are You a Candidate for Radiofrequency Ablation?
Before undergoing RFA, candidates typically undergo a diagnostic procedure, such as a nerve block, to ensure the correct source of the pain is identified. If the nerve block successfully reduces your pain, you may be a good candidate for radiofrequency ablation.
RFA is often recommended for patients who:
- Have chronic back pain that hasn’t responded to conservative treatments like physical therapy, medications, or injections.
- Experience pain caused by arthritis, degenerative conditions, or nerve irritation.
- Want a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure to manage their pain.
The Radiofrequency Ablation Procedure
The RFA procedure is quick, minimally invasive, and performed on an outpatient basis. Here’s what you can expect:
- Preparation: You’ll receive a local anesthetic to numb the treatment area. In some cases, a mild sedative may also be administered to keep you comfortable.
- Guided Precision: Using fluoroscopy (X-ray guidance), your physician will insert a small needle into the targeted area.
- Applying Heat: A microelectrode is inserted through the needle to deliver radiofrequency energy. The heat generated creates a lesion on the nerve, blocking its ability to transmit pain signals to the brain.
The entire procedure typically takes less than an hour, and most patients can go home the same day.
Recovery and Results
Following the procedure, some patients experience mild discomfort at the treatment site, which resolves within a few days. Most people begin to feel significant pain relief within 1-3 weeks after the procedure.
The results of RFA can last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years, depending on the individual. If pain returns over time, the procedure can be safely repeated.
Benefits of Radiofrequency Ablation
- Minimally invasive: No large incisions or lengthy recovery times.
- Effective relief: Many patients experience substantial pain reduction for months to years.
- Quick recovery: Resume normal activities within a day or two.
- Surgery alternative: RFA provides lasting relief without the risks of surgery.
Take Control of Chronic Pain
Chronic back pain doesn’t have to dictate your life. Radiofrequency ablation offers a safe, minimally invasive solution for long-term relief. By addressing the root cause of your pain and preventing its transmission, RFA can help you regain mobility and improve your quality of life. If you’re ready to explore this effective treatment option, consult a pain management specialist to see if RFA is right for you.
Conclusion
Chronic back pain can drastically impact your quality of life, but radiofrequency ablation (RFA) offers a minimally invasive, effective solution when other treatments fall short. By targeting specific nerves and disrupting their ability to send pain signals, RFA provides long-term relief from conditions such as facet joint pain, sacroiliac joint pain, and nerve-related discomfort. With quick recovery times, lasting results, and the potential to avoid surgery, RFA empowers patients to regain mobility and improve their daily lives. If chronic pain has been holding you back, RFA may be the next step in your journey toward relief and renewed functionality.
Precision Pain Care and Rehabilitation has two convenient locations in Richmond Hill – Queens, and New Hyde Park – Long Island. Call the Queens office at (718) 215-1888 or (516) 419-4480 for the Long Island office to arrange an appointment with our Interventional Pain Management Specialists, Dr. Jeffrey Chacko or Dr. Sonny Ahluwalia.
Note: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized recommendations.
