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How Long Does Radiofrequency Ablation Take To Show Effect?

Posted on Mon, 14 Sep 2015

Question: My pain doctor thought my facet joints were inflamed and decided to perform the trial for radiofrequency ablation. The first set of injections were on the left. My pain has always been on the right. The injections themselves were very traumatic and the pain on the next day was excruciating. Does that mean that it is not a facet issue or could it just be that he was on the wrong side?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Pain relief will take at least two weeks

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have studied your case and I think you are having facet joint pain only. Radiofrequency ablation is a experimental thing and its effects are not always same. It takes two to three weeks to show its effect.
I would suggest you to wait for some time say two weeks. If even then this pain is continue then you should think of other options like steroid injection or physiotherapy.
Till that time you should take tablet Etoricoxib one daily with hot water fomentation and back muscle exercises.
I hope these steps will be helpful for you.Let me know if there is any other followup questions.
thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (6 hours later)

I haven't had the ablation yet just the first diagnostic injection which didn't go so well. My doctor says that since that didn't work that now we need to do the trial for a pain pump. We've tried everything else. None of the conventional methods, steroid injections, physical therapy, etc. have worked. I'm now in a great deal of pain and having sciatica pain down both legs!
Maybe I need to hear from a pain specialist.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (31 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You need to think for spine surgery

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
pain specialist are useful when you do not have surgical options. In your case I think you can get MRI and plan for surgery. If facet joints are fused and nerve compression is removed then you can easily get pain relief. All those pain relieving methods are not very useful because they never treat problem. So you have to take them for all time. When you stopped then pain recurrs.
So it is always better to get surgery done and cure this issue. I hope this answer will be useful for you. let me know if there is any other followup questions. thanks

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar