Innovative Procedure Provides Relief for Chronic Pain Sufferers
If you suffer from chronic neuropathic pain, every day may feel like a battle. Whether you are fighting to stay awake, to find sleep or to find a moment of comfort, chronic pain wears you down. Fortunately, LifeBridge Health's Center for Pain Treatment and Regenerative Medicine can help.
Neuropathic pain is complex, chronic pain that is typically caused by tissue injury. It is often characterized by a shooting and burning pain or numbness and tingling. With chronic neuropathic pain, nerve fibers themselves may be damaged, and due to that damage send incorrect signals to other pain centers. Neuropathic pain tends to respond poorly to traditional pain treatments, and can be one of the most difficult conditions to treat.
However, some patients have found relief at the Center for Pain Treatment and Regenerative Medicine, where talented physicians are performing pulsed radio frequency neuromodulation (PRF), an innovative treatment for pain that stems from damaged or irritated nerves.
The PRF procedure involves the application of a pulsed radiofrequency electrical field that blocks a nerve's ability to transmit pain signals without destroying any tissue. PRF is different than standard radio frequency procedures where the high temperatures generated burn tissue adjacent to the injury site. PRF is already a popular form of pain treatment in Europe, but it's used less extensively in the United States.
"PRF is providing many patients significant relief, and for a lot of patients it's the first time in the span of several years where they have found something that make them feel better," says Edward Soriano, D.O., a board-certified specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and pain management.
During PRF, a physician uses ultrasound or X-ray guidance to place a needle as close to the damaged nerve or nerves as possible. Once the needle is in the proper position, a specialized probe is placed in the needle, which sends an electrical current to the damaged area. During the procedure, the patient will feel a pulsating sensation, which is not painful but may feel unusual. Once the PRF procedure is completed, the probe is removed and a nerve block is performed.
"After the procedure, patients will experience the effects of the nerve block right away. The small amount of steroid that is injected during the procedure may produce relief for several days. However, it's important to note that relief from PRF may take up to several weeks to demonstrate a full effect, and the onset is usually subtle, with the patient becoming progressively better," explains Dr. Soriano.
PRF is a valuable option for those with chronic nerve-related pain. For more information, or to see if you are a candidate for PRF, call 410-601-WELL (9355).