Radio-frequency Therapy

What is radiofrequency therapy?

Radiofrequency therapy reduces pain by heating up sensory/pain-producing nerves with a radiofrequency current. This temporarily prevents the nerve tissue from sending pain signals, which relieves pain long term.

Which types of pain does radiofrequency therapy treat?

Best suited to treat chronic pain that hasn’t responded well to alternative therapies, such as anti-inflammatory medications or physical therapy, radiofrequency therapy targets:

• Neck pain
  
• Back pain
  
• Pain that spreads to your buttocks or back of the thighs
  
• Headaches

In some cases, radiofrequency therapy is used to alleviate neck pain caused by whiplash following an accident.

How is radiofrequency therapy performed?

If you think radiofrequency therapy is right for you, schedule an initial consultation with Advanced Pain Management. Because this treatment targets certain nerves, the team can perform tests that determine whether these nerves are causing your chronic pain.

The team does this by injecting numbing medication directly into the points where the needles used during radiofrequency therapy will go. If the test alleviates your pain, then you’re likely a good candidate for the treatment. 

Before your next appointment, talk to the team about any medications you’re currently taking. You should also avoid tobacco products before the procedure and arrange for a ride home. 

When you arrive at the office for your procedure, you’ll first change into a hospital gown and the IV line is started. The anesthesia team gives you numbing medication to make your visit as comfortable as possible.

Next, the team uses fluoroscopy (multiple X-ray images) to guide the radiofrequency needles to the right area. This helps target the exact nerve tissue that you want to treat, without affecting any surrounding tissue.

Immediately following the procedure, you’ll rest in the recovery room until you’re ready to leave. While you may feel mild soreness at the injection site, this should subside over the next few days. To minimize inflammation, ice the area for 20 minutes at least three times a day.

Radiofrequency therapy can help alleviate pain in your neck/back for several months. To find out if this treatment is right for you, call Advanced Pain Management or schedule an appointment online.