How Can Radio Frequency Physical Therapy Help Me?
Pain in your spine, neck, knees or hips can severely limit physical activity and make everyday tasks challenging. At Southwest Spine & Sports we can assist in managing chronic back, neck or joint pain related to herniated discs, spinal stenosis arthritis or other issues through pulsed radiofrequency therapy – an innovative minimally invasive therapy which uses heat waves targeted directly at areas that send pain signals directly to your brain – thus decreasing pain medication usage while postponing or even eliminating surgery altogether.
If RFA is right for you, we first perform a diagnostic nerve block injection to verify the source of your discomfort. If this injection helps alleviate it, we can begin the RFA procedure which will be conducted under local anesthesia at our outpatient facility with no large incisions required – once completed you’ll be back to light activities within days!
RFA procedures involve inserting a small needle under your skin and using imaging technology to pinpoint its source. A dose of pain-relieving medication will then be injected, before an electrode is placed over it – this may produce a slight tingling sensation or buzzing sound during its placement, but should not be uncomfortable or painful.
RFA uses heat to ablate (kill) pain-causing nerve tissue, stopping or significantly reducing your ability to sense it in that area. Over time, nerves will regenerate but will no longer send pain signals directly to your brain. According to The Cleveland Clinic’s reports, RFA treatment has provided significant pain relief lasting six months to two years or longer; making it one of the most effective nonsurgical options for managing spine and joint pain.
Pulsed radiofrequency ablation can also be used to treat other forms of chronic body pain, including nerve pain from herniated discs or degenerative joint disease. You could benefit from this form of pain relief if traditional methods like medications or physical therapy haven’t brought relief – our doctors will assess if you qualify by reviewing your medical history, performing an examination and checking current medications to make sure treatment can proceed safely.
