What happens before a radiofrequency neurotomy procedure?

Spine conditions that are a result of a traumatic injury, such as a car accident in which the spine is injured.Osteoarthritis, a chronic condition of the joints in which the cartilage, the smooth material between the joints, wears away.The radiofrequency neurotomy procedure can help patients who suffer from: What conditions are treated with a radiofrequency neurotomy procedure? The heat is directed at the nerve that is causing the pain, so that nearby healthy nerves are not damaged during the procedure. Lateral branch nerves that are connected to these joints send pain signals from the spine to the brain.ĭuring a radiofrequency neurotomy procedure, the heat comes from a small electrical current that travels through a needle that has been inserted next to these small nerves. Sacroiliac joints are found at the bottom of the spine, right above the tailbone.Two small nerves, called medial branch nerves, are connected to the facet joints and send a signal to the brain that there is pain coming from the joints. These joints give the spine flexibility and allow movement of the back, such as twisting and bending. Facet joints are pairs of small joints between the vertebrae in the spine and hold the spine upright.Most chronic back pain usually comes from two joints of the spine: Nerves are how pain signals travel to the brain. Nerves are found in the vertebrae (the bones of the backbone, or spine), ligaments (the fibrous tissue that connects bones), and facet and sacroiliac joints, for example. Nerves within the spine are the source of chronic back pain. This procedure, also called radiofrequency ablation, is usually performed on an outpatient basis (the patient goes home the same day). (Pain is described as chronic if it lasts for more than 12 weeks, even after treatment or medication.) It is a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat to destroy a nerve that is causing chronic pain. Radiofrequency neurotomy is a nonsurgical procedure to help relieve chronic back pain. The human spine and spinal nerves What is radiofrequency neurotomy?

Does nerve testing hurt