Wednesday, March 31, 2004

Radiofrequency treatment for pain sufferers

The application of radiofrequency currents to the spinal nerves can treat chronic pain in the back, neck, legs and arms, allowing patients to have up to a year free from pain, says one MCG physician.

“Patients undergoing this procedure experience a very excellent result,” said Dr. Dan Martin of the MCG Pain Management Clinic. “The beauty of it is that the treatment can be repeated indefinitely without adverse side effects, such as those that you might experience from medication.”

Physicians use a block procedure, during which local anesthetic is applied to certain nerves, to diagnose the pain source. During the pulsed radiofrequency application, the patient lies down, with the back exposed. Under X-ray guidance, a physician places a radiofrequency cannula-a needle with an active tip-at the nerve that is triggering the pain. A low voltage stimulation, which expresses itself to the patient as a tingling sensation, confirms the correct placement of the needle. The pulsed currents are then applied.

Patients experience a 70 percent or more reduction in pain in a single treatment, without side effects of numbness or weakness. “The treatment selectively inhibits the small fibers that transmit pain, without affecting movement or nerve sensation,” said Dr. Martin. Increased muscle use due to pain relief also means patients grow stronger and may experience even more improvement in future pain treatments.

The treatment is appropriate for patients with sciatica, neck, back and lower back pain, whiplash, arthritis, pain due to neuropathy or failed back surgery, and more.

MCG Health System is composed MCG Health, Inc. and the clinical services offered by the faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the members of the

Physicians Practice Group. For more information, visit www.MCGHealth.org.