If you suffer from a chronic pain condition from the neck, lower back, nerve, cancer, hip, shoulder, knee, or abdominal pain, turn to our skilled team at NuVation Pain Group in Buena Park and Los Angeles, California. Our double board-certified expert, Dr. Philip Lim, DO, MPH, specializes in the most advanced pain relief techniques for an extensive range of pain conditions. In this blog, he answers some common questions about radiofrequency ablation, also called rhizotomy, to help determine if it’s right for you.
What is radiofrequency ablation?
While we use a multimodal approach to tailor solutions for each of our clients’ unique needs, one of our go-to treatments is radiofrequency ablation. This is a minimally invasive procedure that interrupts pain signals between your brain and your nerves. The technique employs heat to injure the nerves linked to your pain so that they can’t transmit distress signals.
What are the benefits of radiofrequency ablation?
Radiofrequency ablation is so popular because of its outstanding benefits, such as:
- Instant pain relief
- No surgery required
- Rapid recovery time
- Elimination of pain medications
- Improved function
Remarkably, many of our patients who have been unable to work or engage in their daily routine can quickly return to their favorite hobbies and activities within days of the procedure.
Who is a candidate for radiofrequency ablation?
If you have pain that hasn’t responded to medication, therapy, epidural injections, or corticosteroids, you may be eligible for it. Dr. Lim meets with you to conduct a comprehensive examination and discuss your symptoms and health history to customize a plan that will safely get you out of pain.
What can I expect during a radiofrequency ablation treatment?
Our team shows you to a private room where you can relax. You’ll be awake for the procedure, but we administer sedatives to help you stay comfortable. Dr. Lim uses fluoroscopy to guide a thin needle into the area of your pain where a dose of numbing medication keeps you from feeling the burst of heat that burns the nerve so it can’t communicate pain to your brain. Each burst of heat and burn takes about a minute or two, so the whole procedure is over quickly.
Radiofrequency ablation can relieve pain for up to two years and is easily repeated if the pain returns. To explore how it can help you, call to make an appointment at one of our offices closest to you.
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