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If you suffer from lumbar arthritis, you know that it can cause disruptive pain and discomfort all day long. Before, surgical treatments may have been your only option for long-lasting pain relief. Now, minimally-invasive treatment options like radiofrequency ablation can effectively reduce arthritis symptoms to help you get through the day comfortably.
Radiofrequency ablation is an advanced, minimally-invasive treatment for chronic pain. It’s typically used for arthritis in the joints, neck, or back, including arthritis in the lower spine. With the ability to relieve chronic pain in the long-term without surgery, radiofrequency ablation is an exciting treatment option.
In radiofrequency ablation treatment, a hollow needle will be inserted into the treatment area. To ensure that the needle is inserted into the correct location, your doctor will use an x-ray called a fluoroscopy. At this point, a numbing medication is administered to prevent patient discomfort during treatment. A radiofrequency current is then transmitted through the needle to the treatment area.
Radiofrequency ablation can provide relief for patients with lumbar arthritis by blocking pain signals from the lumbar spine to the brain. The radiofrequency current creates a small burn (lesion) to eliminate the part of the nerve producing the pain signal. This lesion is created with remarkable precision so as not to damage the surrounding tissue.
Patients will start to notice the benefits of radiofrequency ablation around ten days after treatment. While some pain may be experienced in the first two weeks after treatment, patients can typically return to work one to three days after the procedure.
After a single treatment session, patients can experience relief from lumbar arthritis pain for nine months to two years.
In addition to radiofrequency ablation, stem cell therapy and traditional pain management are available as non-surgical treatment methods for lumbar arthritis.
Stem cell injections can be used to treat lumbar arthritis. This procedure works by injecting stem cells into the lower spinal area. The stem cells can then work to regenerate damaged tissue, ultimately relieving pain and discomfort in the lumbar spine. Stem cell injections can typically be administered in just 30 to 60 minutes.
Traditional pain management techniques can help relieve symptoms of lumbar arthritis. Specifically, relaxation techniques like massage and yoga, physical therapy, and behavioral modification are all non-surgical pain management methods that can be beneficial for lumbar arthritis. Types of traditional pain management can be great options for patients looking to avoid invasive procedures.
To learn more about radiofrequency ablation for lumbar arthritis, contact Dr. Neel Amin today.