Chronic pain is a debilitating condition that negatively affects the quality of life. Not only does chronic pain affect you physically, but it is also a detriment to your mental health. Most people with chronic pain are at risk of disorders such as depression and anxiety because, understandably, pain can make you angry, irritable, and frustrated. The level of productivity in your day-to-day activities also diminishes since you cannot complete simple tasks. The good news is if you have chronic pain, radiofrequency ablation in Naples may relieve your discomfort for up to two years.
What is radiofrequency ablation?
Radiofrequency ablation or neurotomy is a treatment that involves the use of heat generated by radio waves on a small area of nerves, stopping them from sending pain signals to the brain. For treatment, your doctor delivers the radio waves through tiny needles inserted through your skin to the area causing pain. Most patients with chronic back and neck pain find long-term relief from pain after radiofrequency ablation. Sometimes this treatment can be used to stop chronic knee and joint pain.
How do I prepare for treatment?
Like most treatments, you need to have an initial discussion with your doctor to understand what the procedure entails and whether you may benefit from it. A consultation is also the right way to establish if you are a good candidate for this treatment. Your healthcare provider may refer you to a pain specialist for further tests to determine whether radiofrequency ablation is the proper treatment for you.
What are the potential risks?
Radiofrequency ablation poses a low risk of complications, but there are common side effects that you should expect after treatment. They include numbness, swelling, bruising, and pain in the treatment area. However, these are usually temporary and usually improve over time. You can use an ice pack on the injection site to relieve the discomfort. Although uncommon, this treatment can also cause severe infection, bleeding, and nerve damage.
How is radiofrequency ablation performed?
First, your doctor places an intravenous line in your arm or hand through which numbing medication is delivered in your bloodstream to make you relax during the procedure. The doctor numbs a section of your skin using local anesthesia before inserting the radiofrequency needles. Your healthcare provider guides the needles to a precise area using a fluoroscope. A microelectrode in the needle allows the doctor to send radio waves to heat specific nerve tissue.
What to expect after treatment
You will spend some time in a recovery room until you are ready to go home. Expect some soreness on the injection site which usually goes away with time –usually a day or two. Radiofrequency does not offer permanent results, and you may need treatment after some time, depending on how long the effects last. Some people experience short-term pain relief; others feel better for months, while others experience no improvement. The heated nerves should be responsible for your pain for treatment to be effective.
If you have joint, back, or neck pain that does not respond to conservative treatment, consult with your doctor at Naples Regenerative Institute to establish whether radiofrequency ablation is an option.