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The Radiofrequency Lesioning Procedure and Benefits

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Briefly, the procedure of radiofrequency lesioning is a slightly invasive, outpatient method that utilizes radiofrequency energy with an objective to terminate damaged nerves or nervous tissue that work in a way to send pain signals to the mind. In most cases, the specialists recommend radiofrequency lesioning treatment for individuals who have not reacted well to other interventional pain management treatments, for example:

  • Epidural Steroid Injections
  • Or Nerve Blocks

Prior to performing radiofrequency lesioning, patients usually go through a process of a diagnostic nerve block with an objective to decide whether the treatment will be fruitful.

Who Gets Advantages From Radiofrequency Lesioning Treatment?

In most cases, the experts perform the procedure on individuals with chronic pain resulted from damaged peripheral nerves (sensory nerves) or nervous tissue surrounding the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Particular conditions that come under this type for the most part include:

  • Trigeminal neuralgia (chronic facial pain)
  • Occipital nerve neuralgia
  • Degenerative disc disorder
  • Post-herpetic neuralgia
  • Complex Regional Pain Disorder
  • Peripheral neuropathies
  • Coccydynia
  • Neck or back pain because of facet joint arthropathy

Who Is The Candidate For Radiofrequency Lesioning Treatment?

Radiofrequency lesioning treatment is recommended to individuals with specific sorts of low back or neck pain. To begin with the procedure, you are required to respond well to diagnostic local anesthetic blocks to be a suitable candidate for radiofrequency lesioning treatment. The effectiveness of the treatment will be dependent upon how well you react to the “temporary” or diagnostic block.

How Radiofrequency Lesioning Performed?

Based on the fact that nerves can’t be seen on x-ray, the needles are situated utilizing bony landmarks that work in a way to show where the nerves typically are. Fluoroscopy is utilized to distinguish those bony landmarks. After needle placement, very low voltages are applied to the needle in order to test for appropriate placement. Once it is confirmed that the needle is in the correct place, a little measure of local anesthetic is injected. Once the nerve is appropriately numbed, higher voltages of radiofrequency are applied and the nerve, as a result, nerve heats to the required temperature.

How Painful Is The Radiofrequency Lesioning Treatment?

The majority of the procedures start by injecting a little measure of local anesthetic through an extremely small needle. It senses similar to a pinch and after that, a slight burning as the local anesthetic begins numbing the skin. Once the skin is numb, the needle feels like a touch of weight at the injection area. A great number of individuals decide to be drowsy or more vigorously sedated for these procedures.

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Radiofrequency Lesioning Treatment In Case Of No Improvement By Medication, Physical Therapy, And Spinal Injections

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Radiofrequency lesioning (Radiofrequency nerve ablation) is a rising treatment with the aim to relieve chronic pain; the treatment utilized a specific device to disrupt nerve conduction on a semi-permanent basis. The way the radiofrequency lesioning treatment works, in some cases the nerves are normally blocked for 6-9 months, however alleviation can be as short as 3 months or as long as 18 months for a few patients.

This radiofrequency lesioning treatment can be utilized effectively for those with back pain, neck pain, muscle pain, or different inconveniences. A probe is injected with the help of a needle and controlled supply of heat is set along a painful nerve. The technique utilizes heat to disrupt the nerves conductivity.

Possible Outcomes of Radiofrequency Lesioning Treatment

For individuals who can’t perform everyday activities because of intense pain, radiofrequency lesioning treatment can turn out to be immensely positive. In the event that the technique turns out to be effective, as a result, the treatment may enable individuals to come back to work and perform essential everyday activities like walking without extreme pain.

Radiofrequency Lesioning treatment’s effects can last up to a year or two, due to its effectiveness which may make it more alluring than steroid injections, offers it to be another common pain treatment which could include back and joint. Moreover, it is a less invasive process than other surgical techniques for reducing joint and disc pain, especially fusion surgery. The reason behind it is that the fusion makes a rigid segment between vertebrae or the pelvic bone as well as sacrum to hinder painful motion from instability.

Furthermore, the radiofrequency lesioning treatment works to disrupt nerve conduction, (for example, conduction of pain signals), and as a result, it may work in a way to decrease pain and other related symptoms. About 70-80% of patients will get a good block of the intended nerve. As a positive outcome, this should turn out to diminish that part of the pain that the blocked nerve controls. In some cases when a nerve is blocked, it turns out to be evident that there is pain from other areas also.

How the Radiofrequency Lesioning is Performed?

With the help of a fluoroscopic (X-Ray) the radiofrequency lesioning procedure is done in precise needle placement. An exclusive needle is utilized; the tissue at the site of pain is stimulated by a small radiofrequency current. This purposeful current works to produce heat and works in a way to block the pain pathways. In addition, in order to numb the area before the process starts local anesthetic is utilized. The process takes somewhere in the range of 30-60 minutes and the patient can return home after the process.

How Painful is Radiofrequency Lesioning?

A small amount of local anesthetic is injected in order to begin with the procedure with the help of a small needle. In a reality, it just feels like a little pinch and after that, a slight burning as the local anesthetic begins numbing the skin. The procedure needle feels like a bit of pressure at the injection site afterward the skin is numb. A number of individuals tend to be drowsy or all the more intensely sedated for these procedures.

Who is a Suitable Candidate for Radiofrequency Lesioning?

This technique is suitable for individuals with specific sorts of low back or neck pain (for the most part of the pain from the facet joints). On the other hand, the ideal candidate must have reacted well to diagnostic local anesthetic blocks. The fruitful results of radiofrequency lesioning will rely upon how well you react to the “temporary” or diagnostic block.

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Is back pain bothering you?

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Millions of adults in the United States experience a variety of different types of chronic pain conditions. The pain related to these conditions can be ruthless and can have a damaging impact to an individual’s personal and professional lives. Additionally, chronic pain has a significant impact on the U.S. economy, resulting in improved healthcare utilization, including rehabilitation and decreased worker efficiency.

Patients distressing along chronic pain are time and again treated with a combination of medication, physical therapy, as well as epidural steroid injections and other conservative treatment options. On the other hand, not all patients sense relief from pain through these treatment methods. Radiofrequency lesioning is a minimally invasive procedure that may be used to treat chronic pain that has been unresponsive to conservative measures.

Let’s know what Radiofrequency lesioning is.

Radiofrequency lesioning is a process in which special needles are used to generate lesions along chosen nerves. The needles heat the nerve to 80°C (about the temperature of hot, not boiling, water). When this heat is enforced upon the nerve for about 2-3 minutes, the nerve stops shipping pain signals to the brain. The body aims to re-grow nerves that are blocked in this conduct but that process can take up to a year or longer.

Before advising radiofrequency ablation, diagnostic local anesthetic nerve blocks need to be implemented to make sure that the patient is an ideal applicant. An analytical nerve block involves injecting a local anesthetic into the region of the nerve that is assumed to be causing the patient’s pain. The local anesthetic in effect for the time being numbs the area and should result in reduced pain symptoms. The efficiency of radiofrequency lesioning can be predicted from a patient’s response to the impermanent nerve block procedure.

Radiofrequency lesioning is accessible to patients with certain types of low back or neck pain (predominantly pain from the facet joints). You must have responded well to analytical local anesthetic blocks to be a candidate for Radiofrequency lesioning. The effectiveness of Radiofrequency lesioning will depend on how well you retort to the “temporary” or diagnostic block.

The course of action disrupts nerve conduction (such as conduction of pain signals), and it may in turn into lesser pain than before, and other related symptoms. An estimate of 70-80% patients will achieve a good block of the intended nerve. This should help relieve that part of the pain that the blocked nerve controls. Sometimes after a nerve is blocked, it becomes clear that there is pain from the other areas as well. Based upon the areas to be treated, the process can take from about 30 minutes to an hour.

In view of the fact that nerves cannot be seen on x-ray, the needles are situated using bony landmarks that designate where the nerves usually are. Fluoroscopy (x-ray) is used to identify those bony landmarks. After needle placement, very little voltages are applied to the needle to test for proper placement. After verification of the needle tip position, a small amount of local anesthetic is injected. After the nerve is adequately numbed, higher radiofrequency voltages are applied and the nerve heats to the desired temperature.

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