Neck and back pain can be a serious hindrance to your everyday life. For those of us who suffer from persistent neck and back pain, we’d probably give just about anything to get some relief.
Thankfully, you don’t have to go to extremes to get relief from your pain. Minimally-invasive treatments like radiofrequency denervation might just be the solution to your treatment-resistant pain.
What Is Radiofrequency Denervation?
Radiofrequency denervation is a procedure used to relieve pain on a minimally-invasive basis. This type of treatment is precisely targeted at the source of your pain, stopping the nerve from sending pain signals.
To prevent these signals from being transmitted, radiofrequency denervation treatment uses carefully controlled heat to eliminate the part of the nerve that relays the pain. Radiofrequency denervation is sometimes called radiofrequency neurotomy or radiofrequency ablation.
Radiofrequency denervation is minimally invasive, but you will need someone to take you home following the procedure.
What Is Radiofrequency Denervation Used To Treat?
Radiofrequency denervation is used to treat pain that comes from facet joints, which are small joints linking together the bones in your spine. As such, this pain is usually located in the neck or back. Your facet joints can cause pain after being damaged, and there are several potential causes:
- Injuries
- Aging
- Normal physical activity
- Rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases
Usually, your doctor will only recommend radiofrequency denervation after other alternative treatments have failed.
What Are the Benefits of Radiofrequency Denervation Treatment?
Before recommending radiofrequency denervation, your doctor will review all of your symptoms and treatment options. If your doctor decides that radiofrequency denervation is your best option, you will still have the choice to decide whether or not to undergo the procedure.
To help you decide, consider some of the benefits of radiofrequency denervation:
- Get pain relief
- Minimally invasive
- Improve mobility
- Make exercise easier
- Typically only mild side effects
- Improved quality of life
Are There Any Potential Side Effects to Radiofrequency Denervation?
While radiofrequency denervation certainly comes with a lot of benefits, it’s important to also be aware of the potential drawbacks before deciding whether or not it’s right for you.
Following this pain relief procedure, you may experience some of the side effects listed below:
- Mild bruising at the injection site for up to a week
- Pain may increase before getting better
- Sunburn-like soreness on the back for up to a few months
- Numbness in the back for up to three weeks
In rare cases, some patients experience numbness in the legs for a few minutes or hours following the procedure. Also in very rare cases, some patients may suffer an infection or nerve damage.
Get Radiofrequency Denervation Treatment at 911 Pain Management Clinic in McAllen
If you’re struggling with back or neck pain, there’s hope. Whether or not radiofrequency denervation is right for you, the team here at 911 Pain Management Clinic can help you find a minimally invasive solution to your pain. With us, you’re more than just an injury; you’re a whole person, and we’ll treat your pain issue with the care it deserves.
Don’t wait to get relief. Come see us at 911 Pain Management Clinic to start down the path to living freely again.
