Radiofrequency Ablation - Pros & Cons 

Do you any idea what 3 months of no pain means to a person in chronic pain?? It's hell to have pain every single day of your life and it just goes on and on. I would be thankful to have one week of no pain.

Just one day without pain would be a blessing for me. Being in pain all day EVERYDAY is exhausting and crippling.

FINALLY!!! Honest answers!!!

I herniated my L5-S1 disc in my late 20s and lived with chronic pain for decades, eventually developing osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease. I had a successful anterior fusion almost six years ago, but that didn’t completely relieve the debilitating pain. My first RFA was actually done a month or so before the fusion, but as pointed out, RFA is rarely a permanent solution for facet joint pain relief, unfortunately-but those 6-9 months can be a real blessing. I have had RFA like clockwork every year and the most miserable time are the several months of pain after the effects wear off while battling with the health insurance company to have the procedure again. If this newer, permanent solution becomes more widely available, I would definitely be open to it. Living with debilitating pain isn’t living, it’s barely surviving.

I had this 2 months ago, just brilliant, no procedures left, except what your talking about, I’m aware my nerves will grow back, so quite keen to follow on with your procedure

Sorry if I haven't been keeping you up to date. The RF/A took almost a month to see a result. It has been 2 months now and definitely getting relief. I was skeptical, as I wasn't feeling a relief from the pain within days (a figure I had read), but it seems at about week 6 I am finally out of extreme pain...maybe a 2-3 on the pain scale (down from say 7-8)

Thank you! The honesty is appreciated!

Why are there no other videos regarding this alternative to RFA? I just finished a repeat on my low back today. So far so good!

Thank you Dr I'm having this procedure done very soon, for the first time I think after that I will go and see a surgeon and get there advice. 😊

My exact thoughts. I started epidurals & abalations 1 1/2 years ago. I have to get them every three months. I suffer migraines from DDD. They definitely help, but clearly I need some more permanent.

What kind of crappy RFA technique gives you 3-6 months? Use a 16-18G RF needle, LA first, parallel to nerve (SIS style) and you should get a year. From a practicing pain physician

I had this procedure performed twice. The reduced pain time lasted around a month, each time. My pain doctor told me that surgery is my only option, but there is no guarantee it will help the pain.

I had the RFA procedure on my neck. 1st side without any pain meds. Wow was it painful.So bad I was creaming & squirming so the doctors said to halt it. So came back maybe a week later & they did both sides. Too soon for the side they had started on the week before. bang! The worst pain now right after the treatment. Now on serious pain meds for 3 yrs. & the pain is something way worse then when I went there in the 1st. place. The pain was like when U wake up with a 1 side stiff neck. Painful,but it came & went. Now it is 24/7 & I can no longer tilt my neck back to gurgle or look up at the sky or shelves in a store. When I stand & walk I can't look forward because the neck pain is horrific all the time.I have to look down to relieve some of the severe neck pin I now have. I also have to juggle magnesium to prevent constipation from pain meds, etc. I also now have pain from a slightly forward head & military neck. I never had pain like this from these issues.. I think they over burnets my never by doing the same side too soon. Why? Because I now have germinate constant pain in my neck I never ever had before the RFA.. I didn't have pain meds because I had had a coffee with a bit of cream so they said well can't give her anything for pain. I had heard people did it withOUT pain meds & said it wasn't that bad so I figured I could do it too. No way! It was so painful. I wonder to this day had I not had milk in my coffee & had pain meds. I would have pressed through the procedure & felt better not worse. I guess I will never now. I am now wanted disc surgery, but can't find any doc good at it who will accept y insurance & would consider me a good candidate for that procedure. They speak of fusion, but I can see on the x-ray my neck has already automation fused at level 3-4. by itself so to me fusion is not the right answer since my neck is already fused.. I want Dr. Bae to do it but he doesn't take insurance & isn't too keen on doing it on older woman like myself.. So I don't know how I will B free of this 24/7 new pain & get off pain meds too! I wasn't taking pain meds before the RFA,but sure did after. Trying to take as little as possible, but so far 3 yrs. & still taking some. It's a nightmare or is it a law suite?? Hard to prove I would think.. But suing did cross my mind. I think they over burned the nerve & killed it or damaged it in someway it didn't grow back & created worse pain then before or ever for that matter..

I just had my 3rd RFA. And will do it every time. For me the last one lasted about 20 months.

i'm going to do the RFA for the first time march 1st 2022 . i have a Brother that has it done once a year and dose great with it . he's been having it done for several years now .

Can this also be done for the neck??

i had spinal fusion (L3-L-4) in May of 2021. In the last 6 months pain returned enough to warrant another visit to spine surgeon. He felt RFA may help ( for possibly 6-12 months.) It has been 24 hours since RFA...minor improvement in pain levels...I will keep posting as time goes on

I keep getting RFA. man would I love something permanent. I would love to be able to stand up straight for more than 6 to 9 mo at a time.

Thank you for taking the time to post your videos. I have been to 4 different doctors and gotten 4 different treatment plans! Very frustrating! All say I have DDD L4 and L5 with one herniated disc. Neurosurgeon 1 suggested RFA, he did a nerve block and it did help. got opinion 2 from OD he said microdiscectomy, then went to #3 neurosurgeon to break the tie and he said fusion due to the disc degeneration and said with RFA I would be back ! wen to doc 4 OD he said hip pain was from IT band and shot me with cortisone in hips which was terrible. Any suggestions? I have had decent success with cortisone one time in l4 and 5. I went to 4 doctors before deciding between RFA or microdiscectomy and now I have a fusion and IT band thrown in there. I would love and appreciate your thoughts. After reading this page and others I think no to RFA and I am not ready for a fusion. I am 57 and active, teach yoga walk but standing is the worst! Thanks and bless you!

Hi best practice health, I been dealing with lower back issues for the last ten years L5-S1.I finally just had a RFA done on my left/right side. But seemed not to work, I’m still in pain. The frustration and mental issues that follow with back issues don’t help. Would this operation be helpful

I've had 5 of these procedures, and this last one was on a different set of nerves. But my Doctor has basically said all this doctor has said, to me. I really appreciate his candor and his efforts to find a different approach for me. 2 to 3 months without pain is indescribable when you live in chronic pain and that area causes pains in your head also, feirce tension headaches where it feels like someone is trying to pull you scalp back, coupled with electric shocks and crushing headaches. It can be debilitating and it has been for me for over 6yrs. My doctor is calling me a regular at this point 😂 The best advice I can give is find a good pain specialist, they are like little detectives 🕵️‍♀️

I am suffering from unilateral testicular pain ( mainly the muscle around the testicle may be cremasteric muscle) . My pain specialist advised for Pulsed RF or Genital branch block of GF nerve . Can I try for nerve block. Any side effects?

After getting differing views on time it takes to take effect,..after 3 weeks ( i had been told it would take anywhere from a week to a month)i can report about a 20% improvement...not much but the doctor informs me that it may nee additional RF/A to hone in on the exact spot. I will get an SI injection first then wait 2 weeks before an appointment for another RF/A

Im 64 and 6 years ago I had 3 epidural shots for my lower back (I believe L5-L6 or 7). They lasted that long. In the past 6 -8 months Ive gone through 3 new Epidurals and one more (4th) Facet shot. The epidurals lasted 2 days each, the facet lasted 2.5 weeks. So now they said they want to do an ablation. I had an ablation for my neck twice now in the last 4 years. I dont want to go through this over and over for my back. At times, I cant walk well and cant walk for long distance. Are there new developments or is DVR still the best option. I live in Orlando FL.

I' m two days away from RFA. Looking forward to pain relief.

What is the name of the process that solves this issue for good?

So should RFA be tried prior to the DVR? I am scheduled for RFA this coming Friday.

I've been on the fence for a few months now. I was advised to take RFA for my facet joint arthrosis that's been painful for straight 8 years. Should I do it dr.? There's no DVR where I live.

What’s the effective treatment for fibroids ?

Had this done last November and December? Was done 2 weeks apart to do each side. But unfortunately it didn’t work at all. Where is best place to get those electrodes in? Back of the head or under the skull line? Mine was done back of head instead skul line.. I feel specialist chose wrong area . should’ve done it back of neck ..

Lord help!!😩😩😩 I'm about to have this procedure done to avoid back surgery!...this reality is better than the fantasy i had going through my head....thanks for this truth!

Please tell me why right after my BOTCHED nerve abrasion of my neck I now have constant pain & can't look up anymore? What went wrong? I do know I didn't have any anastitic because I had had some milk in my coffee that morning, but I had heard people did it without any pain meds. & it wasn't that painful. Well I decided to do that. It was ever so painful. I was screaming & writhing in pain. So they decided to stop & not do the other side. I think I came back a week or so later & they did both sides meaning they did the same side 2 times. I think they should have not done that. I believe that is why I now have pain I never ever hand in my neck. My neck pain was very little & only sometimes. Much like a morning stiff neck sometimes. But I could tilt my head back to gargle after the NA I can't!! Can U tell me what happened? A doctor I saw about my neck which is military & slightly forward, probably due to breaking my L4 some yrs. ago & maybe my ribs moved forward because I lost height, lots of height. No doctors fixed my compression fracture to regain my lost height so now my lungs have less space & maybe that is why my head is now forward & I have NO waist anymore. My ribs almost touch my hips now.. Very uncomfortable as is the 24/7 neck pain & very limited motion. I was told my bones R too thin to do any discs & I don't want my neck fixed. If that happens I will have even less movement than I now have. I am very upset about this situation. I don't understand how my bones R too fragile to have discs pit in when I had THR last year. The screws R holding up well. I even fell on concrete & nothing came apart & nothing broke.. Any thought?? I do believe something happened when I had the nerve ablation, because I didn't have the pain before & now have pain all the time in my neck.. I am sure I had military neck & forward head to some degree, & I did not have this constant neck ache & did not have any problem tilting my head back to look up or gargle.. What happened? The spine surgeon I saw said he agreed something must have gone wrong with the nerve ablation since I had no pain before the procedure & after 24/7 pain & limited movement.. Very unhappy now.. I feel my life is ruined..

Can this be performed safely in the cervical spine and if so what levels?

I have chronic migraines with aura at least 20 times a month. There is NOTHING else out here that works. I'm more than willing to try this. If it comes back in 3 months, I'd go again. I'm not living, just existing

Hello I had an acute injury causing disc herniation l5-s1 6 years ago. I have gotten multiple epidural shots with no relief early in...then physical therapy....chiro...physical therapy...with no pain relief. My latest MRI says I have spondylolisthesis grade 1 at l5-s1...Neuro surgeon said I need an alif/psf. I am not ready to commit to a surgery like that as I am 40 years old and concerned about long term effects. Pain management told me this RFA/ facette ablation has no side effects and can be done as often as I want. You stated that this procedure has diminishing returns in terms of pain relief? So is getting this procedure harmful long term?? I Was hoping to get pain relief even for a little 1 year so I am able to do core strengthening to treat the spondylolisthesis. Is it better I just get this procedure or is RFA first then this procedure if RFA works but wears off in a short period of time. Please advise. Thank you in advance!

Hi Dr. Lieberman, i have severe cervical facet pain and not had RFA, but after hearing your presentation, I wondered if the DVR would be okay for my neck? i have even done stem call and PRP and nothing has helped. So discouraging. Thank you for any suggestions!

Direct visualized rhizotomy I am looking for one in Wyoming with workers comp.

I had an RFA twice. 1st time I was pain free for about a year. Next time. No relief at all. Not sure what's next but I can't deal with this pain forever..ugh

Is this DVR procedure good for EDS patients? I have EXTREMELY SEVERE EDS, my Beighton score is 9/9. I am having ablations every 6 months on lumbar and thoractic spine. Then also getting breakthru injections at 3 months because my insurance wont cover the ablation until 6 months. Im on very high levels of pain meds as well. My ribs in between the shoulder blades dislocate many times PER DAY at connection to spine. I need something to help the pain in that area and down at the tail bone area.

So sad that Pain Management doesn’t tell of the potential dangers of RFA and other Pain Management procedures. I had this procedure done for 7yrs 2-3 times per year (until insurance changed it and can only get 2 per yr.) and now have extensive nerve damage. Pain Management is now the equivalent of going through a McDonald’s drive thru. No time for questions, do you want the procedure or not, if you’re lucky YOU MIGHT get 3 rushed minutes with doctor before the procedure. I am meeting with attorneys now for malpractice!

Assuming it’s done well, does the RFA procedure affect motor function?

Exactly what i was looking for in terms of a explanation. Are permanent nerve blocks available in which the nerve won't grow back or transmit pain signals in the future and are there any drawbacks? The big push from doctors onto patients is the neurostimulator for chronic pain control versus taking opioids but thats a can of worms that can create issues which I wouldnt wish upon my worse enemy.

⁠ I have extraordinarily brutal nerve pain due to peripheral neuropathy in my feet and hands. When my tibial nerve in my feet starts to go crazy, I’m in a level of pain that is really unlivable. I suggested tibial nerve ablation to my pain management doctor, but he said it would paralyze my foot muscles leaving me with foot drop and possibly unable to walk. As it is now I only get up to go to the bathroom. QUESTION: What do you think about what my pain management doctor said? Can I get tibial nerve or sciatic nerve ablation? I’m in extraordinary pain that is quite close to unlivable.

The smart govt trial 5 year follow up on the intracept procedure shows basically the same or more pain reduction as at 3 months. So that seems to be pretty permanent. I can’t find safety information on surgical ablation of the basivertebral nerve. Wiki seems to back up that nerve pain relief is only temporary at least for facet rf ablation. Nerve recovery might be a blessing in disguise if one were to rely on the body healing itself in the meantime with support like addressing infections, dvt, increasing circulation to the spine, uva exposure improving osteoblast balance, ozone therapy to name a few. But per the smart intracept trial, the pain reduction appears permanent so maybe they are using more energy since it’s in a bone, and the nerves don’t come back. I just saw this on wiki page for nerve block “Because neurectomy of a sensory nerve is often followed, months later, by the emergence of new, more intense pain, sensory nerve neurectomy is rarely performed.” This does seem to happen, because the pain axons just regenerate, which kind of makes sense since unlike motor neurons they don’t need to exactly tie to a muscle just sense injury. I suppose if you cut the nerve farther away from the target then the claim of longer term relief might be correct. Dermatosensory Peripheral Nerve Interfaces: Prevention of Pain Recurrence Following Sensory Neurectomy, 2021

I've been having RFL procedures on C4, C5, and C6 for past 7 years and got much relief at first, but not so much last 2 yrs. Can DVR be done on neck also? And does repeated RFL cause scar tissue on the nerves over time?

I got my RFA ,, and the results so far are mediocre. It just muffled the pain in one area there is still pain. Thank you for the video.

My question is what happens to muscle mass when you cut the nerve? Does the muscle atrophies? Dies , gor example i had servicle fusion brfore that my rough arm started shrinking and my tricep practically desapaired, After the surgery i regain most of the muscle mass back, but after i had covid the pain came back as bad as before the surgery, with this surgery will one loose mass and end up eith one normal arm or leg and one skinny one?? Where can i get more info.

Any advice on CCI/struggle to hold head up/chronic neck tension?

Is it called the same operation if they cut it vs burn it?

Doctor My brother has osteoid osteoma and he did surgery and after surgery he got pain relief and then the pain came back to him what should he do next ?

Is the efficacy high for endoscopic cervical rhizotomy? Is DVR just for Thoracic and Lumber and SI or also for Cervical? Have you seen folks with permanent pain results?

I just had my first RFA ten days ago and the pain since then is brutal in both my back and leg. It's worse than it was before the ablation. Is this normal?

Trying to see if there is anyone in NYC / New Jersey area doing this.......

I had vein ablation done as a preventative procedure. I never had any previous issues besides noticing the veins starting to appear on my legs, which prompted me to get evaluated before I had any issues. The problem is, it's now been 10 months, and I still have swelling in that area (lower medial part of my leg). It's believed to be scar tissue. Is it normal to have scar tissue and swelling 10 months later? How does someone get rid of this?

I'm looking for a place in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area that will severe the nerve not burn it and I can't seem to find one.

I’m 43 and have advanced Ankylosing Spondylitis my facet joints are completely fused from AS. The pain is getting unbearable with activities. I’ve had RFA twice now. It helped for about 8months, had to have it again. Getting on and off the table is getting harder, I’m loosing the ability to lay prone. If there is a more permanent option I would definitely want it. is it riskier than RFA?

I'm scheduled for this procedure in literally 24 hrs and I'm a nervous wreck. Will they sedate me for it? Will I need pain meds for a few days? Does the site hurt even worse for awhile afterwards? My pm dr is doing it to my cervical spine and said if I get good results we could try it on my entire spine (D.D.D and severe stenosis plus arthritis in my spine)

I had nerve ablation on two lumbar facet joints but disappointingly it made the pain in my buttocks and thighs worse, beware that things don't always get better with this procedure. I'm hoping that this damage will right itself, although 3 months after ablation, it hasn't.

So is DVR, the better option ? Cutting the nerve? Didn't know about this procedure. I'm supposed to have the Radiofrequency ablation, in a couple of weeks??🤔 Cutting the nerve, DVR🤔

I did NOT have relief from an RFA. Now I have the old pain AND I have severe pain over the entire RFA procedure.

Does RFA get rid of edema on the spine?

An Interventional Radiologist is offering pudendal nerve cryoablation to treat my severe left scrotal pain. I've had 2 100% successful nerve blocks done at the ischial spine. He wants to do a block at the Alcock's Canal, then treat there. But that's distal to my previous blocks AND to the most common entrapment location for that nerve - the spot where the sacrospinus and sacrotuberous ligaments cross. Apparently all ablation types for treating pudendal neuralgia get done that way. This doesn't make sense to me and I can't talk to this doctor until the day I fly there for the block. What am I missing? I tried the DRG snd am an Electrical Engineer who spent my career in Silicon Valley developing novel medical devices, including implantable defibrillators and RF generators for performing ablation procedures - which is what i was expecting to be offerred. I have had my genitofemoral nerve and the perineal branch of my left pudendal nerve cut.

I am to get a RFA in March do you know of any drs. In Pa. That does the dvr surgery?

Why the hell can’t I find what dvr stands for and watch the procedure?!?😢 Rfa tm 7:15 am. I can’t take this pain… This is not living so if it doesn’t work for me I don’t know what I’m going to do. Has anyone heard anymore about the DVR

What are the dangers of cutting the nerve? How will your body know if you're having an emergency if there is no pain awareness. In my case, occipital neuralgia. How would I know if I'm having a stroke related headache if there are no nerves to inform me?

If the nerve is ablated, won't you unwittingly allow more pressure to aggravate that area, thus creating more inflammation and not knowing it?

Can this be done in neck nerves?

I HAD IT FOR MY KNEE PAIN( BONE ON BONE ) NEVER HELPED A T ALL, NOW I HAVE MORE PAIN THAN EVER I CAN HARDLY WALK ..

1:06 doesn't cutting the nerve will lead to make the body part paralyzed ?? As if you will cut the nerve so the pain doesn't radiate more, don't you think cutting will lead to terminate the functioning of that body part??

So what is the procedure that you are suggesting? I never heard you mention it.

What do you mean by cutting the nerve? Doesn't make sense. What is the procedure called as opposed to RF ablation?

What's the difference between .RFA..vs.. rhizotomy.???

How does this DVR procedure work cervicallly??

If nerve is cut will there be any side effect??

Is terrible my low back pain whith rfa getting worse 😢😢😢😢

What's the procedure called?

I'm confused how 9 months relief is a problem when epidurals are 4 months. youre selling dvrs

I am a medical doctor and I have had radiofrequency ablation done and it works very well. This video is a biased opinion by a surgeon who wants you to have only surgery because that is all he does and knows. No wonder the public is confused. I also had RF done for my knee and I am back to kite boarding. The surgeon told me my only option was a total knee replacement. He was wrong, again.

I don’t understand. This video mentioned don’t an alternative to RFA but it was just mentioned for like half a second then just stated how much better it is. So what’s DVR, where is the more information? I feel like this maybe was a longer video then cut down (badly).

What is the name of the procedure he's talking about to permanently cut off a nerve

What about varicose vein?

This may be a good idea to try for anyone who maybe dealing with Chronic Pain BUT NEVER EVER CUT ANY NERVES IF YOU HAVE CRPS/RSDS OR IT WILL ONLY SPREAD LIKE WILDFLOWERS AND CAUSE YOU EVEN MORE CHRONIC PAIN WORSE THAN YOU HAD IT BEFORE SAME WITH AMPUTATION OF A LIMB!! IF YOUR DOCTOR RECOMMENDS THIS RUN AWAY AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN!! Otherwise it'd be something you might want to check out but always check with a second doctor before preforming anything like this as it could be the wrong thing for you completely so you never know! Good Luck on your way of fighting Chronic Pains!!

Been doing this procedure for many yrs i'm so tired of this , I get some relief for maybe 3 months. Im going to narcotics because they can't operate me . Tired of back pain I'm worn out man.

What is DVR? Spell it out.

Yeah... But if you cut the nerve... Won't it just be numb and no feeling at all? 🤔

I got 2 years without pain!

Why do we think it’s ok to cut nerves!?!!

I just ask for one day without pain, one day

Dude's lapel mic needs some serious attention

I'm. Just sick of needles with no relief

This is completely opposite of what Drs are saying today?....

what if you just expect the same outcome lol

Really? Really?

Rfa not good

So this is really an advertisement for DVR masquerading as an explanation and review of RFA. Nevertheless it’s nice to know about DVR. But shame on you for your video title. It’s misleading.

Steroid epidural worked better and was far less painful for me.

This guy is trying to sell what the surgeries he performs and convince people not to go in a different direction for treatment. Look at any of the patient videos about RFA if you want an unbiased opinion.