Radiofrequency Ablation in Queens

When you can’t see a way out of chronic pain, a procedure called radiofrequency ablation (RFA) may be the best solution. After you’ve undergone extensive tests and tried lifestyle changes and non-invasive treatments without relief, you may still suffer from chronic pain. That’s when your doctor at the Medex Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Queens, NY delivers pain relief with RFA. When provided by an experienced pain management expert, the procedure is safe and enduring. Call today to see if you qualify for radiofrequency ablation.

If you have chronic pain that just won’t go away, you may be getting discouraged, since chronic pain can be debilitating. Especially with back pain, you may find that anything you do, even getting out of bed, becomes a painful experience. And doctors can’t always find the specific source of your pain. But you should still take steps to relieve your pain.

Your pain management doctor at the Medex Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Queens, New York has access to state-of-the-art diagnostic tools. Medex is a multi-specialty practice, so specialists of many medical fields are within reach if needed. Between the equipment and the talent at Medex, you’ll find an appropriate treatment plan to get you out of pain.

Consider radiofrequency ablation (RFA), a procedure that goes straight to the source of your pain by targeting the nerves with a safe, painless electrical current. Once it’s determined which nerves are involved, RFA greatly reduces your level of discomfort. The procedure even prevents complications.

The Cost of Chronic Pain

Potentially risky surgeries with complicated side effects are performed sometimes to treat chronic pain. The alternative, long-term use of pain medication, is costly and leads to abuse or addiction. Yet it’s proven that pain can damage your nerves and other parts of your body even more if you have to change the way you move to avoid hurting.

Being in pain for extended periods of time wreaks havoc on your mood and your mental health. Conditions like depression and anxiety are commonly associated with chronic pain. Persistent pain leads to lost work, reduced productivity and missed social opportunities. You may stop exercising or playing your favorite sports, which impacts your entire health. Being sedentary increases the risk of a whole other realm of illnesses and disease.

The Radiofrequency Ablation Procedure

Your pain management doctor prepares you for this outpatient procedure by asking you to fast for 24 hours before you come in. If you need to temporarily stop any medications, your doctor consults with your prescriber on how to do that safely. You’ll need to arrange to have someone drive you home after your procedure, as you’ll be too groggy to drive for the first 24 hours.

The procedure, considered to be minimally invasive because you won’t even need sutures, follows several steps:

1. You’re given an IV medication to relax you, but you’ll be awake for the procedure.
2. The area where you feel pain is numbed with a topical anesthetic.
3. Using CT scan images, your doctor inserts a needle near where your pain originates and injects some dye to better view the area.
4. You doctor then inserts a needle with an electrode to the exact nerves that are sending pain signals to your brain. The electrode heats up the nerves to deactivate them so that they don’t signal pain.
5. You should feel immediate relief. After being monitored in a recovery room, you’re ready to go home.

Long-Lasting Relief from the RFA Procedure

Radiofrequency ablation isn’t a miracle cure. It’s usually performed only when you’ve gone through several other pain-relief options first without success. But most patients report that they get relief for six months to a year following a radiofrequency ablation.

If you still feel pain afterward, it’s possible that the right nerves weren’t identified. It’s often worth giving it another try. Follow-up visits with your pain management team ensure the process is working as it should or whether more tests are needed to hone in on the source of your pain.

Effective Pain Relief from Your Queens Doctor

RFA has been well-studied and found to be effective, especially for lower back pain. When you’re suffering from pain that doesn’t have a clear source, RFA definitely provides relief. After you’ve tried self-care, lifestyle changes and other chronic pain treatments and nothing seems to work, RFA can be the best option.

Radiofrequency ablation delivers safe, effective relief. In the hands of an expert like your pain management specialist at Medex, your chances of success increase. Your And when coupled with strategic preventive plans, you have a good chance of living your life without debilitating chronic pain.

Consult with your doctor at the Medex Diagnostic and Treatment to determine if RFA is right for you. It’s possible you can use RFA repeatedly to stay out of pain over the long term. Contact your pain management specialist Medex to schedule your consultation.

We can help you find a doctor. Call (718) 275-8900

Licensed by the state of New York, Medex is an Article 28 diagnostic and treatment center. Our physicians provide comprehensive care for patients of all ages in the Forest Hills, Queens area, for over 15 years. Start receiving expert care now by calling or scheduling an appointment online with one of the skilled specialists.