About 80% of people experience back pain at some point in their adult life. Most cases are acute — meaning the pain lasts six weeks or less — but some end up becoming chronic.
Chronic pain of any kind can disrupt your life, and because your back is involved in most movement, chronic back pain is particularly prone to making it difficult for you to work, exercise, or pursue hobbies.
When patients come to ReGen Pain Management, they’re looking for relief. Dr. Jonathan Koning and his staff keep up with the latest developments in pain management. One of the innovative treatments we offer is minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation for people living with chronic back pain.
Some pain treatments are designed to mask your symptoms. For example, medication makes you less aware of the pain. Radiofrequency ablation, which is sometimes called radiofrequency neuroanatomy, stops your symptoms at their source.
Your nerves send signals to your brain, and your brain tells your body how to respond. For example, when you touch a hot stove eye, your nerves send signals, and your brain says, “Pain! Move now!” — so you yank your hand away.
Radiofrequency ablation disrupts that cycle by disabling the nerves that are sending pain signals to your brain. This is especially useful if your back pain is due to something like arthritis, which doesn’t get better over time but also doesn’t get worse if you move and do the things you need and want to do.
This procedure has been successful in treating chronic pain conditions related to the knee, hip, neck, and back. Conditions that often respond well to radiofrequency ablation include:
Radiofrequency ablation is minimally invasive, so you don’t need to worry about a hospital stay or scary surgical risks.
Radiofrequency ablation has a similar risk level as most types of spine injections, but it usually offers longer-lasting pain relief than those treatments.
We use intravenous sedation so you remain comfortable during the ablation procedure. It can take between 15 minutes and two hours from the beginning to the end of the entire process.
Dr. Koning uses digital imaging to place a needle precisely near the nerve that’s sending the signals causing your pain. Then, he delivers a mild electrical current through the needle to disable the nerve.
The electrical current heats up the tissue of the nerve, essentially turning it off — which means that your pain is turned off.
The anesthetic means you won’t feel anything during your procedure, but you may have some tenderness when it wears off. Any such symptoms should go away within a few days. We give you aftercare instructions, but most people get relief with over-the-counter pain medication and icing during the first few days.
You can go home the same day as your procedure, but you’ll need someone else to drive because of the sedation. You should also avoid strenuous activities for 24 hours and baths for 2-3 days (showering is fine).
It may take as long as three weeks to experience pain relief, although you may notice improvement right away. The length of time the pain relief lasts varies, as well. Some people only have limited relief, while others enjoy less pain for 6-12 months or longer.
Radiofrequency ablation works well in providing pain relief for many people, but it’s not a cure. Nerve roots do regrow, though it can take many months. If radiofrequency ablation works well for you, Dr. Koning may suggest repeating the procedure.
If you’d like to learn more, schedule an appointment at ReGen Pain Management in Plano, Texas. Dr. Koning is always happy to answer your questions and take your circumstances into account.
