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Treating Back Pain with Radio Waves

Back problems come in many forms and pain can range from nonexistent to very severe. Depending on the cause of your back pain, individual treatment plans will be recommended to help you reduce chronic symptoms. A popular and effective treatment for constant back pain is radiofrequency ablation, which uses electronic waves to greatly lessen pain signals in the nervous system. Let’s examine treating back pain with radio waves.

Treating Back Pain with Radio Waves

Today, our pain clinic experts will shed some insight on the benefits of treating back pain with radio waves, explaining how the procedure works and what you can expect during a normal course of treatment.

Radiofrequency Ablation: The Details

This innovative and revolutionary new procedure is known as the very best way to reduce symptoms of pain and other back conditions. Using electrical currents, the ablation tool sends warm signals to different tissues and nerves in the body. This communicates with them electronically, working to cancel out signals of pain or discomfort. By effectively blocking the sources of pain, radiofrequency ablation can greatly improve one’s quality of life.

More About the Treatment

The way radiofrequency ablation works is through an in-office procedure that can take a couple of hours to complete. Your doctor will ask you not to eat or drink anything for 6 hours prior to your procedure since you will be given mild anesthesia through an IV. Once the procedure begins, the doctor will start to insert a tiny needle into a part of your body that is experiencing pain.

Once the pain center has been located, the needle will heat up using a microelectrode. You will not experience any pain, burning, or discomfort; however, you will feel much better after the process is complete. Recovery is simple, but there are still some instructions you need to follow. For example, you will need to rest in a recovery room and have a friend or family member drive you home. You can slowly return to normal activities after the numbness has worn off.

Top Conditions Treated by Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation can be recommended for many different types of chronic pain or long-lasting pain in the spine. Since it uses forms of electrical heat to essentially deaden tissues causing pain, it is one of the most efficient and effective ways to completely cut off severe pain. As a tested and approved procedure, it offers a great benefit to anyone in need of greater pain management care.

Some common conditions to treat using this method include:

  • Peripheral nerve pain
  • Pain due to cancer
  • Back, spine, or knee pain
  • Facial pain
  • Arthritis or SI pain
  • Issues with heart rhythm

Some patients have concerns about the safety of a procedure that destroys tissues inside the body. With hardly any reported side effects or negative issues, radiofrequency ablation can be recommended with top confidence to those worried about inherent risks.

Are You a Good Candidate for this Procedure?

Likely candidates prove those dealing with chronic pain in the spine or nervous system. Specifically, those who have not received ample treatment using other methods of care. Additionally, anyone who has had a nerve block injection can follow this up with radiofrequency ablation as it will be easier for doctors to pinpoint the center of pain.

If you are not responding to physical therapy efforts or other types of pain medications, then you will be first in line for this kind of procedure. However, anyone who is pregnant or bleeds easily may not be an eligible candidate.

Sign Up for Radiofrequency Ablation Today

Visit your local pain clinic in Orange County if you are dealing with severe chronic pain and you need a new method of treatment. Our doctors are available to help you find the perfect procedure for you, as we want your pain to go away ASAP. Don’t hesitate to give us a call today.