What is Radiofrequency, Where is it Used?

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Radiofrequency

Any pain that arises, on the one hand, reduces the quality of life, on the other hand, it causes the prevention of work and education life. This can bring other problems with it. Medication or physical therapy may not always work in patients with long-term pain complaints, and at the same time, patients may not want to experience a surgical intervention. In such cases, the most effective treatment method that can be applied as an alternative is radiofrequency. So what is radiofrequency and in which situations can it be applied? We tried to answer all the questions for you...

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What is Radiofrequency?

As a method that has been used in the field of health for many years, radiofrequency is applied to relieve pain in cases where drug treatment is not effective, physical therapy applications cannot produce results, and surgical intervention is not possible.

It can be used alone in patients with pain due to different reasons, or it can be used together with different methods. With radiofrequency treatment, the nerve fibers in the area producing pain are disabled and pain relief is provided in this way. During this treatment, the nerve or tissue is not damaged, only a regulating action is performed on that nerve. Radiofrequency therapy is usually long-term or permanent.

Before starting the radiofrequency application, the facet joints that the patient has problems with are determined by C-arm x-ray. Then, the areas where the application will be made are numbed with local anesthesia. Cannulas (tubes) are placed in the previously opened or newly opened channels in the body.

There are catheters inside the cannulas and these catheters are connected to a computer. Radiofrequency application is performed by sending high heat to the facet joints through the placed tubes. The heat sent ensures that the nerves that cause pain are blocked and thus pain is prevented.

In other words, the aim of radiofrequency application is to create a lesion depending on the temperature and application time by applying a controlled electrical energy to the tissue. After the procedure, painkillers or steroids can be applied to the patients through the same cannula.

Where is the Radiofrequency Method Used?

Radiofrequency therapy can be applied to patients who do not respond to drug therapy or physical therapy methods, who have problems such as calcification of the waist and neck joints, calcification of the shoulder, knee and hip joints, facet joint pain or low back pain.

Radiofrequency is also recommended for patients with the following conditions:

Lumbar hernia and neck hernia,
Sacroiliac joint pathologies,
Pain related to the nerves in the genital area,
Frozen shoulder or shoulder pain,
Severe knee arthritis or knee pain,
Back pain and neck pain,
Recurrent pain due to unsuccessful back surgery at least 6 months ago,
Trigeminal neuralgia,
Heel spur,
Pains due to posture (correct posture) and mechanical origin.

Patients with these disorders are suitable for radiofrequency therapy if they meet the necessary conditions.

There are some issues that patients who will undergo radiofrequency treatment should pay attention to. For example, if the patient has high fever due to flu, sinusitis or various infections, this situation must be overcome for application. In addition, if there are blood thinners such as aspirin or coraspin used by the patient, the use of these drugs should be discontinued 1 week before the radiofrequency application. Radiofrequency application, which is a very simple process, is usually completed successfully.

Advantages of Radiofrequency Therapy

Radiofrequency therapy is one of the most effective methods used to relieve chronic pain that reduces the quality of life. This method, which does not require general anesthesia and is performed with local anesthesia, has the following advantages:

It is not a surgical operation and is performed painlessly.
Although there may be variability according to the number of areas to be applied, the procedure time is 20 to 30 minutes on average.
In open surgery, it may take up to 1 month for patients to return to their normal lives. In radiofrequency treatment, patients do not need to be hospitalized. Almost all of the patients are discharged after being kept under observation for 2 or 3 hours.
In cases where the treatment does not work, a second procedure can be performed. In cases where the pain starts again, the treatment can be repeated.
The application area is far from the spinal cord or other organs. Therefore, the probability of any risk factor occurring is very low.
Conditions such as bleeding or infection do not occur.

After the operation, a temporary numbness can be seen in the area where the procedure is performed due to heat damage, but this numbness disappears on its own after a short time.

In addition, radiofrequency therapy is not recommended for patients with infections, pregnant women, or patients with diseases such as spine inflammation and spinal tumors. Radiofrequency therapy is one of the most effective methods used to relieve chronic pain that reduces the quality of life. This method, which does not require general anesthesia and is performed with local anesthesia, has the following advantages:

Radiofrequency therapy, the effect of which can sometimes last for a few months and sometimes for many years, is extremely effective in relieving pain if it is performed in the presence of a specialist physician and radioscopy specialist.