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Radiofrequency Ablation for Facet Pain

Radiofrequency ablation is a treatment for neck, thoracic and back pain that is arising from the facet joint.  The facet joint is a small cartilage lined joint in the spine that is susceptable to injury and can cause significant pain and restriction in  range of motion.

Small nerves within the facet joint transmit a pain signal from the joint to the brain.  Radiofrequency ablation works by interrupting the transmission of the pain signal.

Alternative treatments for facet pain include prolotherapy, Regenexx SCP and Regenexx PL.

At the Centeno-Schultz Clinic radiofrequency ablation has been used extensively in the treatment of debilitating  pain.  Injuries to the facet joint are typically not detected by traditional radiographic studies.  Clinical experience, an understanding of the mechanism of injury and excellent physical examination skills are critical.  This is the standard of care at the Centeno-Schultz Clinic.

Diagnosis of a facet injury is confirmed if  a patient reports a  significant reduction in pain following injection of a small amount of local anesthetic into the facetjoint under x-ray.  This procedure is referred to as a intra-articular facet injection.  The first step is to identify where the pain is originating from.  Only then can an appropriate treatment plan can be formulated.