Radiofrequency Ablation Specialist
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Southeast Spine Care & Pain Management
Interventional Pain Management Specialists & Spine Specialists located in Savannah, GA
Sometimes chronic pain persists even when you undergo the most effective treatments. If you’re running out of options, Ortelio Bosch, MD, and his team at Southeast Spine Care & Pain Management in Savannah, Georgia, can help. They offer radiofrequency ablation, an advanced, minimally invasive procedure that deadens the nerves to relieve your pain. Find out if you can benefit from radiofrequency ablation by calling Southeast Spine Care & Pain Management today or scheduling an appointment online.
Radiofrequency Ablation Q&A
What is radiofrequency ablation?
Radiofrequency ablation is a chronic pain treatment. It uses electrical currents to stop pain signals from reaching your brain. The electrical pulses heat a targeted area of nerve tissue to a temperature that destroys the nerves sending out the pain messages.
Physical therapy, medication, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, and other nonsurgical treatments successfully combat pain for most patients. Radiofrequency ablation is a long-lasting way to deal with chronic pain in patients who aren’t improving using less invasive treatments.
Patients who undergo radiofrequency ablation usually experience some level of pain relief after treatment, with many enjoying a considerable improvement.
What conditions does radiofrequency ablation treat?
Radiofrequency ablation is suitable for use on your neck, lower back, and knees. Southeast Spine Care & Pain Management uses radiofrequency ablation to treat problems like:
- Spinal stenosis
- Facet joint arthritis
- Sacroiliac pain
- Herniated discs
- Spondylolisthesis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Chronic knee pain
Radiofrequency ablation effectively treats various causes of back and neck pain when other therapies prove unsuccessful.
Before you have radiofrequency ablation, Dr. Bosch gives you a selective nerve block injection. This is a shot of local anesthetic that they use to determine which nerves are causing your pain. They can then target the correct nerves with radiofrequency ablation.
What does radiofrequency ablation involve?
Radiofrequency ablation is an in-office procedure at Southeast Spine Care & Pain Management. A sedative delivered through an intravenous (IV) line helps you relax. Dr. Bosch also gives you a local anesthetic injection in your back or knee so that you don’t feel any pain.
Dr. Bosch inserts a thin needle into the area defined by the nerve block. He uses fluoroscopy to help him see where the needle is going. This is a moving X-ray that gives your doctor a good view of the tissues he’s treating.
When the needle’s in the right place, Dr. Bosch inserts a microelectrode. He asks you if you can feel tingling sensations. Your answers help him find the perfect place to administer the radiofrequency ablation.
When the microelectrode is in position, Dr. Bosch sends radiofrequency energy through it. The heat destroys the targeted nerves without damaging other tissues.
What happens after radiofrequency ablation?
Once your sedation wears off, usually a couple of hours, you can go home. You mustn’t drive after being sedated, so arrange to have someone drive you to and from your appointment.
The effects of radiofrequency ablation usually last 6-12 months, while some patients feel the benefits for years afterward. Eventually, the treated nerves can grow back, at which point you might need another radiofrequency ablation session.
To find out more about radiofrequency ablation and how it can relieve chronic pain, call Southeast Spine Care & Pain Management today or book an appointment online.
