Injection Procedure
A Lumbar Radiofrequency Neurotomy is an injection procedure method for reducing back and neck pain. The procedure accomplishes this by essentially turning off the pain via heat that is generated by radio waves for targeting specific nerves and temporarily interfering with their ability to transmit those pain signals. Lumbar Radiofrequency Neurotomy is an outpatient procedure that only requires relaxation medication and an anesthetic.
Lumbar Pain Management Facts
Our lower backs are amazing structures that are well-engineered and include bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and nerves that are all interconnected and work together for the purpose of providing flexibility, strength, and support. Unfortunately, because the lumbar spine is so complex, it also makes your low back vulnerable to a myriad of injuries and severe pain.
Diagnosing Lumbar Pain
You could require specific imaging tests aimed at determining if your lower back pain can be helped by Lumbar Radiofrequency Neurotomy. We will evaluate your lower back pain using the latest diagnostic tools that have been designed specifically for achieving an accurate assessment and may include technologies from EMG/Nerve testing to MRIs, x-rays, to bone scans.
Types of Lumbar Pain
There are numerous ways of categorizing low back pain, however, two of the most common lumbar pain types include:
Radicular pain- This one occurs when a spinal nerve root gets inflamed or impinged and can follow a dermatome or nerve root pattern down into your leg or buttock. What it feels like is a burning-type pain that is extremely sharp and is often also associated with weakness and/or numbness and is generally felt on just one side of the body.
Mechanical pain- This is definitely the most common lower back pain cause. It is pain that is felt mainly in the bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles in and around your spine and has a tendency toward being localized to your buttocks and lower back. In some cases, it may affect the upper legs as well. It may actually feel different at times, based on activities like resting, sitting or standing, and certain motions, including twisting.
In addition to the two main types of lower back pain, there are also other sources, including:
Claudication pain caused by stenosis
Deformity
Infections
Inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis
Myelopathic pain
Neuropathic pain
Pain originating from another area of your body like ulcerative colitis or kidney stones
Tumors
Typical Lumbar Radiofrequency Neurotomy Results
As is the case with the majority of other types of procedures, Lumbar Radiofrequency Neurotomy generally works better for some individuals more than other patients. The main factor that comes into play in determining the ultimate success rate is whether the targeted nerves turn out to be the exact same ones responsible for your pain. Lumbar Radiofrequency Neurotomy is an outpatient procedure, therefore it generally only requires approximately one hour of your time. Once it’s completed, you can go home that very same day.
To learn more about Lumbar Radiofrequency Neurotomy contact the Pain & Spine Institute at 1-888-362-7472 or 815-729-0700.
