Radiofrequency Ablation For Nerve-Related Neck Pain: What to Expect

Up to 20% of adults experience neck pain at some point. While anyone can develop it, risks are heightened for women, people assigned female at birth, and older adults. Certain lifestyle factors, such as inactivity and poor posture, contribute, too.

Pain of all kinds involves nerves — neck pain included. Because your neck contains part of your spine, anything that damages or strains your spine can lead to nerve-related symptoms.

Dr. Nicholas Perenich and his team at Spine Institute of Florida in Dade City and Spring Hill provide a range of treatments for nerve pain, including radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

Take a few moments to learn more about this nonsurgical neck pain treatment, including what to expect during and afterward.

Nerve conditions that affect your neck

Nerves are bundles of fibers that transmit messages between your brain and your body. Any condition that irritates or compresses a nerve in your neck can fuel pain — along with other nerve-related symptoms, such as tingling and numbness.

Painful conditions that can affect nerves in your neck include:

Cervical radiculopathy, or a “slipped disc”
Degenerative disc disease (DDD)
Disc herniation, or a “slipped disc”
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Spinal stenosis
Spondylolisthesis

Sudden injuries that affect nerves in your spine, such as a vertebral compression fracture or whiplash from a car accident, also cause neck pain.

What to expect during radiofrequency ablation

Radiofrequency ablation uses heat from electromagnetic waves to destroy nerves that carry pain signals to your brain. Before RFA begins, you’ll receive a local anesthetic in the treatment area to keep you comfortable. Then your provider will insert a small needle to move a probe to problematic nerves to deliver the radiofrequency energy. Depending on your condition, the process may take 15-120 minutes.

Surrounding tissue remains unharmed during RFA. Any side effects, such as a burning sensation, tend to be mild to moderate and temporary. Given that it's a minimally invasive procedure, you won’t need to worry about lengthy downtime for recovery.

RFA neck pain results

While you may notice some pain relief shortly after your RFA treatment, full benefits typically unfold within 10 -21 days. For many people, radiofrequency ablation has been shown to effectively reduce neck pain for up to 12 months.

If or when your pain returns, you can schedule additional RFA treatment. Our team can also recommend additional options, such as physical therapy, injections, or surgery. In many cases, RFA lowers or negates the need for pain medication.

To get on the path to neck pain relief or find out if radiofrequency ablation is right for you, call Spine Institute of Florida or schedule an appointment through our website today. We’d love to help minimize your symptoms and restore your quality of life.