What is Radio frequency ablation?

 

Radio-frequency ablation is a newer method of pain management. Radio-frequency current is an electrical current with high frequency usually 300 to 400 Khz. When used in small area of nerve tissue it blocks the nerve and decreases pain signals from that specific area giving a pain relief of long duration. 

Two types of radio frequency are used for pain management, Conventional radio-frequency and Pulsed radio-frequency.

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Which conditions can be treated with radiofrequency procedure?

Radio-frequency for Pain Management can be used for patients with chronic (long-lasting) low-back and neck pain and pain related to the degeneration of joints from arthritis.

Apart for these degenerative conditions it can also be used in certain neuralgic pain (like trigeminal neuralgia, sphenopalatine neuralgia) and in control of cancer pain.

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Where Radiofrequency ablation is useful in pain management?

 We use conventional radiofrequency for

Long term relief from low back pain due to lumbar facet arthropathy
Long term relief from neck pain due to cervical facet arthropathy.
Facial pain caused due to trigeminal neuralgia.
Sympathetic system mediated pain in hands and foot.

 We use pulsed radiofrequency for

Long term relief from low back pain due to degenerated disc pain and chronic slipped disc pain.
Long term relief from hand pain due CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)
Facial pain caused due to sphenopalatine neuralgia.
Cluster Headache.

Is Radiofrequency Treatment Safe? 

 It is generally safe and well tolerated with minimal complications.

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How long the effect of radiofrequency lasts ? 

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It varies patient to patient but the usual duration of action is usually 1 to 5 years. 

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Is Radio-frequency Treatment Painful ?

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Radio-frequency ablation is usually done under local anesthesia, so pain in minimal.  

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