Promising Relief.
Living with chronic back pain can feel like a constant battle, but innovative treatments like Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) offer promising relief.
Radiofrequency Ablation is a minimally invasive procedure designed to reduce pain by using radiofrequency waves to heat and destroy specific nerve fibers. These fibers are responsible for transmitting pain signals to the brain. By targeting and deactivating these nerves, RFA can significantly alleviate chronic pain.
LAsting Pain relief
greater range of motion
improved quality of life
short recovery time
Conditions treated with RFA.
RFA is particularly effective for patients suffering from:
Chronic Back & Neck Pain:
Often due to conditions like arthritis or degenerative disc disease.
Sacroiliac Joint Pain:
Discomfort originating from the joints connecting the lower spine and pelvis.
Facet Joint Pain:
Pain stemming from the small joints in the spine.
Peripheral Nerve Pain:
Pain affecting other areas of the body, such as the shoulders, knees, or hips.
Who is a Candidate for RFA?
Ideal candidates for RFA are those who:
- Have not received relief from standard treatments like physical therapy or medications.
- Feel sharp, localized nerve-related pain.
- Responded well to nerve blocks, showing RFA can target the pain source.
Optimal Long-term Pain Management
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) may be repeated if pain returns. This is because the procedure works by disrupting nerve signals to provide pain relief. Nerves can regenerate over time. When pain reappears, follow-up treatments can prolong the duration of relief.
During subsequent treatments, your pain management specialist will take a detailed medical history and potentially use imaging techniques like fluoroscopy to ensure precision. They will evaluate the effectiveness of the initial RFA by assessing pain levels, physical function, and overall quality of life improvements.
Your specialist will consider factors such as the duration of relief provided by the first treatment, any side effects experienced, and changes in your condition. Based on this comprehensive evaluation, they will determine if and when another RFA procedure is needed, tailoring the treatment plan to your specific needs for optimal long-term pain management.
More than one-third of American adults have low back pain that affects activities of daily living and exercise10, and nearly half of back pain sufferers are not helped by surgery.8
*For complete references and important safety information, please refer to Stryker.com.
8. Bogduk N. Management of chronic low back pain. The Medical Journal of Australia. 2004; 180(2):79-83.
10. Boswell MV, Colson JD, Sehgal N, Dunbar EE, Epter R. A systematic review of therapeutic facet joint interventions in chronic spinal pain. Pain Physician 2007 Jan;10(1):229-53.
