Chronic headaches, migraines, and other conditions that cause frequent headaches are likely to put patients through daily pain. This can greatly reduce one’s quality of life, even with access to some of the more advanced medications available from trusted providers. Fortunately, one of the most successful treatment options is available at CRPM; with radiofrequency ablation, we use guided radio waves to reduce the pain you may be experiencing in your face and head. If you are wondering, “How does RF ablation help headaches?” then this is the article for you.
How Does RF Ablation Help Headaches?
What Does Radiofrequency Ablation Do?
Also called RF ablation or RFA, radiofrequency ablation is a great way to reduce symptoms of pain that come from electrical pulses in your brain. Using radio waves, a team of dedicated experts will target parts of the body where your pain is greatest, sending these heated waves to block the pain receptors in that tissue. This helps your body feel less impacted by pain signals, making you less likely to feel discomfort. Over time, this type of treatment is effective in getting rid of your chronic headaches.
Is RFA Safe?
It is understandable for patients to express concern over the safety and efficacy of a procedure that uses radio waves to block pain receptors in the nerves. Being able to muffle signals of pain doesn’t prevent your body from responding appropriately to your pain, but it helps you reduce the symptoms of pain that can be causing you undue physical discomfort.
Medical experts guarantee that radiofrequency ablation is super safe, as it is a non-surgical treatment designed to reduce any chances of risk. Some patients may feel numbness or irritation after the procedure, which should be addressed with the doctor right away. All instructions for recovery and aftercare should be followed to ensure that the risks of RFA are not too great.
Before and After Radiofrequency Ablation
Treating headaches with RFA is a fairly straightforward process. First, the doctor will tell you how to prepare the night before your treatment by asking you to fast for 6 hours or so. As soon as you arrive at the doctor’s office, you will be prepared with an IV. This will likely be a localized anesthesia, meaning you won’t be fully asleep. You will be awake enough to help the doctor correctly target and treat your biggest areas of pain.
The next step requires an X-ray, which guides a tiny needle into your tissue. Electrodes will heat the needle using radiofrequency ablation, which won’t cause pain. However, you will start to feel some relief almost immediately. After the procedure, you will be monitored for a while until you can go home. You will be instructed to get plenty of rest and to avoid heavy lifting for a few days. After the numbness of the procedure wears off, you will start to feel much better.
You Can Schedule Your RFA Session Today
Radiofrequency ablation is well-known for treating headaches, chronic migraines, and other conditions that may cause everyday pain in the skull. Headaches can be exhausting to deal with, leading to other symptoms like nausea and vertigo. RFA is designed to greatly reduce your pain while training your body to reduce its reaction to your headaches.
At your local pain clinic, you are able to customize your treatment by speaking with a team of CRPM specialists. We will help you find the best solution for treating your constant headache pain. You deserve to live in comfort and security without worrying about when your next headache will return. Learn more about RFA when you get in touch with us and schedule your consultation today!
