12 Apr Radiofrequency Ablation at San Diego Restorative Pain Management Center
When it comes to chronic pain, you’re always looking for an effective treatment. Ideally, these treatments will be fairly simple and minimally invasive. This is one of the reasons that many people with pain choose to receive a radiofrequency ablation treatment.
Radiofrequency ablation, also known as a radiofrequency rhizotomy or radiofrequency neurotomy. The term describes the process accurately: with the use of radio frequencies, your San Diego restorative pain management center will ablate, or destroy, damaged nerves that are sending constant pain signals. This form of treatment can be useful for people who struggle with injuries of the back and neck.
How Does Radiofrequency Ablation Work?
Radiofrequency ablation works by cauterizing the nerves in your facet joints. These nerves are responsible for sending pain signals to your brain. If they become damaged or otherwise compromised, through injury or illness, they may begin to constantly send pain signals to your brain.
This can be disconcerting and can impair the quality of your life. Your range of motion may be restricted and you may find yourself falling victim to spontaneous pains. If you’re struggling with neck or back pain then you may be interested in having these nerves ablated.
The Radiofrequency Ablation Procedure
Radiofrequency ablation is a relatively simple procedure but it’s incredibly important that it’s done right. If the wrong nerves are cauterized then the expensive treatment will amount to nothing. Prior to the actual treatment, your doctor will likely take you through a process involving a nerve map, or pain map. They will identify, using this map and your assistance, the area that your pain is coming from. Then they will begin the procedure to numb the nerves in the area.
For the procedure, San Diego restorative pain management center doctors will sanitize the area that they will be working with. This minimizes the chances of infections entering your body. Then, they will use a live-guided x-ray to ensure that they’re delivering the needle to the right point. They will insert a hollow needle into your body and cauterize the problem nerves.
The treatment does not generally take long and does not have any residual side effects. You will most likely be able to walk out of the doctor’s office within a few minutes of your treatment. While it’s important not to over-exert yourself too soon after, you most likely won’t experience any unwanted side effects.
Do I Need a Radiofrequency Ablation?
If you’ve suffered an injury to the neck or back, then this treatment may be for you. Generally, San Diego restorative pain management center will recommend this treatment in addition to, or as a replacement for, more conventional treatments. Physical therapy and medication therapy are often tried before radiofrequency ablation.
Conclusion
Radiofrequency ablation is a serious and expensive procedure that delivers results. If you’ve struggled with a neck or back injury that you want to overcome, don’t hesitate to reach out to a San Diego restorative pain management center to learn more.
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