[Abbeygirl]

#5443

Hi Doctor thanks for this service i have posted to you before about my neck and lower back and your respones have been exerlent just a short history I have lower back problems had two surgerys on lower back S1/L5 first one laminectomy about 12 years ago no problems after surgery and for 12 years up until 8 months ago had decompression surgery on S1 nerve and have been in pain ever since and it is not confined to one place i have numbness in my right thigh every time i sit down both my big toes go numb and even my heel goes numb and i get lower back pain also pain in my buttock and even my heel goes numb not sure if that is related to my back???? aLSO I have numbness in my hand on my little finger and half of my ring finger and it happens on both hands not sure if that is related to my neck i know it is not from my lower back I have had a recent MRI scan which you abbrivated for me so i hope you can answer this question for me please my GP has sent me to a pain managment doctor and he has me booked into have a radiofreqency test was wondering if you know much about this treatment and if so how successful is it thanks again doctor for this service

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#5448

Radiofrequency ablation is a procedure that is designed to disrupt the small sensory nerves that go to the joints in the spine (the facets). First, you need to be diagnosed with a facet disorder. You must have lower back pain (or neck pain if in the cervical spine). A series of injections (fact blocks or medial branch blocks) must give you temporary relief of your local pain (see facet blocks on the web site).

If that is the case, then you could be a candidate for facet rhizotomies (radiofrequency ablations). The success rate for reasonable relief is 70%.

Radiofrequency ablation will not cure or relieve buttocks pain, leg pain or foot pain and numbness.

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