Radiofrequency Ablation Specialist
-
- Tweet
Island Interventional Pain Management
Rajmani Krishnan, MD
Interventional Pain Management & Regenerative Medicine Specialist located in Commack, NY
Radiofrequency ablation could provide the solution for patients whose chronic pain condition fails to respond to conservative therapies or steroid injections. Rajmani Krishnan, MD, of Island Interventional Pain Management in Commack, New York, uses advanced radiofrequency ablation treatments like Intracept® to stop nerves from sending pain messages to your brain. If you're finding that your current treatments aren't helping, call Island Interventional Pain Management to see if radiofrequency ablation could help or book an appointment online today.
Radiofrequency Ablation Q & A
What is radiofrequency ablation?
Radiofrequency ablation is a chronic pain treatment in which Dr. Krishnan uses heat energy created by radio waves to disrupt nerve activity. This heat raises the temperature of the targeted nerve tissue to destroy the nerve so it can't send pain messages to your brain.
Using radiofrequency ablation, Dr. Krishnan treats patients whose pain isn't improving with conservative methods like physical therapy and medication. While results vary among patients, radiofrequency ablation offers long-term chronic pain relief for many people.
What conditions can radiofrequency ablation treat?
Radiofrequency ablation is suitable for any kind of back or neck pain but is especially useful for conditions like radiculopathy and arthritis. Cervical radiculopathy in the neck and lumbar radiculopathy in the lower back occur when there's pressure on or damage to the spinal nerves.
Dr. Krishnan finds radiofrequency ablation produces the best results in patients with conditions like spinal stenosis — where problems like arthritis, bulging discs, bone spurs, and thickened ligaments narrow the spinal canal — and pain in the facet joints that link the vertebrae.
Dr. Krishnan uses Intracept radiofrequency ablation that targets the basivertebral nerve in your lumbar (lower) spine. He can also perform genicular radiofrequency ablation to treat persistent knee pain, which is often due to osteoarthritis.
What does radiofrequency ablation treatment involve?
The first part of your procedure involves having a sedative to make you relaxed and sleepy. You don't normally need a general anesthetic for radiofrequency ablation, but a local anesthetic is helpful to numb the skin at the injection site.
Dr. Krishnan then inserts a fine needle using image guidance technology so he can see precisely where it’s going. When the needle is in the right position, he activates the radiofrequency microelectrode and asks whether you can sense anything, like a tingling sensation.
Having found the ideal place to deliver the treatment, Dr. Krishnan activates the radiofrequency energy. The energy destroys your nerves without damaging surrounding tissues.
How long do the effects of radiofrequency ablation last?
The effects of radiofrequency ablation last an average of 6-12 months, but some patients feel the benefits for years. Eventually, the treated nerves may regrow, and the pain might worsen again. Still, you can repeat the process if it’s successful.
If your chronic pain shows no signs of improvement using conservative treatments, discuss your problem with Dr. Krishnan to see if radiofrequency ablation could help. Call Island Interventional Pain Management today or book an appointment online.
