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We often have a lot of questions about radio frequency procedures in our Panama City FL office, so I’ve written this brief summary of the procedure and some of the things to expect. I have tried to make the information useful to anyone reading this whether they are here in Panama City or elsewhere and whether they combine chiropractic care with radiofrequency or not.
Radiofrequency ablation (also known as medial branch rhizotomy) is a procedure used to reduce severe or chronic pain. The procedure is performed by placing an electrical current produced by radio waves next to a nerve that carries pain signals from the joint to the spinal nerve. The radio waves heat a small portion of the nerve tissue, causing the pain signals to decay from the target area.
RFA is commonly used to relieve patients with long-term low back/leg and neck/arm pain and pain associated with the degeneration of joints of the spine due to arthritis. These conditions must show positive responses to previously performed test blocks to determine if the treated tissues are indeed the areas causing the pain before RFA can be used. The degree of pain relief can vary depending on the cause and location of the pain source. The relief can last six to twelve months and in some cases even years. According to some studies, more than 70% of patients treated with RFA experience pain relief.
To prepare for treatment, make sure you don’t eat within six hours of your appointment, with the exception of clear liquids, until two hours before the procedure. If you have diabetes and use insulin, you will need to adjust your insulin dose on the day of the procedure, which your doctor can help you with. Bring your diabetes medication so you can take it after the procedure, as well as any other medications you may need. Continue to take all other medicines with water. Do not stop taking any medication (particularly insulin) without first consulting your GP or referring physician. You will need someone to drive you home after the procedure and you should not drive or operate machinery for at least 24 hours after the procedure.
On the day of the procedure, a doctor will explain the procedure in detail and answer all your questions, including possible complications and side effects. During the procedure, the doctor will use a specialized X-ray machine called a C-Arm, this will help the doctor guide a needle to the exact target area. Once the location is determined, a microelectrode is inserted through the needle to start the stimulation process. During this process, the doctor will ask you at various times if you can feel certain sensations. The purpose of this is to help your doctor determine if the electrode is in the best place for treatment. After placement of the needle and electrode has been achieved, a small radiofrequency current is sent through the electrode to the surrounding tissue, heating the tissue. Patients should not feel any discomfort during the heating portion of the procedure as we do not have heat sensors in this tissue.
After the procedure, you will remain in the office or surgical center for observation, where a nurse will check your blood pressure and pulse. You will be given a bandage over your procedure site and you will need to arrange for someone to drive you home.
RFA has been clinically proven to be a safe and effective way to treat some types of pain. It is also generally well tolerated, with very few associated complications. There is a small risk of infection and bleeding at the insertion site. Your doctor can advise you about your specific risk.
The main side effect of RFA is some discomfort with swelling and/or bruising at the treatment site, but this generally resolves after a few days and, as with any medical procedure, RFA is of course not suitable for everyone. Your doctor can tell you if you should not have RFA.
After treatment with RFA, you will contact your doctor to monitor your progress and, where chiropractic care and physical therapy are available, you will begin the rehabilitation process. This stage of your care is very important, even if your pain has been resolved, because the joint is not fixed at this point, only the pain is blocked, and if the joint problem is not addressed, the likelihood of pain and additional joint damage increases. The chiropractic care is designed to improve overall joint function, and during rehabilitation you will learn exercises and stretches to improve muscle function and strength around those joints, which will help stabilize the affected areas for the future.
Chiropractic care and radiofrequency ablation for chronic pain
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