Epidural steroid injections are fantastic treatment options for certain types of acute and chronic pain. Depending on your needs, this could be a great addition to your care regimen and a fantastic way to reduce your discomfort.
Do you have chronic pain associated with the low back, the neck, or arthritis? Have you been looking for a low-risk but effective treatment that could help you deal with these issues and experience long-term relief? Fortunately, there are many options available, but one of the best for pain like this is radiofrequency ablation.
Dr. Navin Mahallavaram — as well as the rest of our staff at The Spine and Pain Center of California — understands the struggle of chronic pain and the desire for relief. That’s why we offer radiofrequency ablation as one of the first lines of defense for the issues listed previously.
Radiofrequency ablation may sound like something out of science fiction, but we assure you it’s been around quite a while! According to a 2020 study, this procedure has been used to treat uncontrolled pain since the 1970s, and its use has only become more effective and refined since then. But what exactly does radiofrequency ablation do?
The treatment is simple: Dr. Mahallavaram uses an electric current to heat certain nerve endings in the body, which causes them to stop sending pain signals. The procedure also requires a sedative delivered through an IV, and then a local anesthetic numbs the area of concern. Afterward, you can usually go home the very same day and experience little to no side effects.
Let us get a little more in detail now. After you’ve received your sedative and the local anesthetic has been placed on the area of chronic pain, Dr. Mahallavaram inserts a tiny needle and uses fluoroscopy (a type of X-ray) to make sure the needle is in the right place. An electrode is then inserted, and Dr. Mahallavaram will ask if you can feel a tingling sensation.
The radiofrequency current is then turned on, and Dr. Mahallavaram uses it to heat the nerve endings. The reason you experience pain is that certain nerve endings are sending out pain signals. But when the nerves are heated, the heat causes a tiny lesion to form inside the nerve, keeping the nerve from sending this signal. As such, your experience of chronic pain will lessen considerably.
One of the best benefits of radiofrequency ablation is that there are very few — if any — side effects. Most people don’t experience any, and even temporary side effects like bruising and weakness dissipate quickly. Infection is of possible concern, but it is rare as a result of this procedure.
Another benefit is that this treatment is minimally invasive. You won’t need to stay in the hospital to have it done. Finally, some people experience mild to moderate relief, while many have noticed complete alleviation of their pain symptoms. The effects can also last anywhere from six months to a year and a half.
If you are struggling with chronic back, neck, or arthritis pain, you deserve to experience relief in a big way. Book an appointment online, call 925-469-9120 to reach our Pleasanton office, or call 925-469-9120 to reach our Fremont office. You’ll be so glad you did!
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