Lower back pain can arise from a variety of causes, ranging from sudden muscle spasms to herniated discs, and from traumatic injuries to degenerative spinal conditions. While initial relief can be achieved through rest, medication, and physical therapy, the pain may persist from time to time and become chronic. Radiofrequency neurotomy, or radiofrequency ablation, is one of the treatment alternatives offered by medical technology for such conditions. The goal of this method is to desensitize the nerve fibers causing pain using heat generated by radio waves, thereby temporarily blocking the nerve tissue’s ability to transmit pain. In this procedure, radio waves are delivered to the targeted nerve fibers via specialized injectors. The procedure is performed in an operating room under sterile conditions. A special X-ray device called a fluoroscope is used to ensure the injectors are properly positioned in the target area. General anesthesia is not required. Performed under sedation and local anesthesia in 20–30 minutes, the patient feels no pain during the procedure and can be discharged after a 2–3-hour post-procedure observation period. The effects begin within a few days and increase significantly over the course of several weeks.
Radiofrequency neurotomy temporarily eliminates pain. The effect lasts 6–9 months, and sometimes even longer. During this period, the patient’s participation in and comfort with physical therapy significantly improve. The procedure can be repeated as needed. This intervention stands out as a short, effective, and reliable method for a wide range of orthopedic conditions—including pain associated with osteoarthritis of the shoulder, hip, and knee joints; sacroiliac joint pain; and heel spurs—in cases where surgery is not considered or cannot be performed, and where medical treatment has proven ineffective.