Radiofrequency Ablation

What is radiofrequency ablation?

Radiofrequency ablation is an interventional treatment that can relieve long-lasting pain when other therapies haven’t worked. During an outpatient, minimally invasive procedure, your provider sends a short burst of radiofrequency energy into a precisely targeted nerve.

The radio waves create a wound that stops electric signals from going through the nerve to your brain. Blocking signals in a nerve carrying pain messages can significantly reduce your pain.

When would I need radiofrequency ablation?

Your provider may suggest radiofrequency ablation when medications and other treatments don’t give you enough pain relief. Radiofrequency ablation is so precise it can be done on many different nerves.

As a result, this treatment treats joint pain, whether it’s located in your back, neck, leg, arm, hip, or shoulder, and no matter what condition causes the pain.

These are a few examples of conditions causing pain treated with radiofrequency ablation:

• Facet joint arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Headaches
• Herniated discs
• Spinal stenosis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Sacroiliac joint dysfunction

Radiofrequency ablation is often so successful that patients can stop taking medication and avoid surgery.

What happens during a radiofrequency ablation procedure?

The first step is identifying the nerve responsible for your pain. Your provider does this by performing a nerve block.

During a nerve block, they inject a local anesthetic into the suspected nerve. They know they have the right nerve when the anesthetic alleviates your pain. Then, they can do the ablation.

Most people have radiofrequency ablation with a local anesthetic and light sedation to help them relax. The procedure is similar to getting an injection.

Your provider uses real-time imaging to guide a needle-like device to the nerve. After placing the tip on the nerve, they send the radio waves through the device to the nerve, and the heat creates a wound.