Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency neurotomy (also called radiofrequency ablation or lesioning) is a minimally invasive procedure that can provide lasting relief to those suffering from facet joint pain.^[1] In fact, multiple clinical studies show that radiofrequency neurotomy significantly reduces pain severity and frequency for 1 to 2 years in the majority of patients.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]}

Radiofrequency neurotomy involves applying heat to certain nerve pathways to "shut off" the transmission of pain signals to the brain. It is performed on an outpatient basis and requires only local anesthetic and mild sedation, alleviating the possible complications of open surgery and general anesthesia. It has a high success rate^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]} low complication rate,^{[1][4][5][6][7]} and is covered by Medicare and most private insurers.

Benefits of radiofrequency ablation include:

• Pain relief for up to 2 years^{[9][10][11][12][13][14][15]}
• Significant and longer lasting pain relief compared to steroid injections^[13]
• Low complication and morbidity rates^{[9][12][13][14][16]}
• Appreciable pain relief compared to surgery: Nearly half of back pain sufferers are not helped by surgery^[15]
• Greater range of motion^[9][12][16]
• Lower use of analgesics^[9][12]
• Improved quality of life^[9]
• Short recovery time