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Radio Frequency for Chronic Pain: Exploring Invasive & Non-Invasive Treatments
21
Jul
Jul
Chronic pain is a persistent and often debilitating condition that can significantly impact daily life. Radio frequency treatment offers a promising solution for managing this pain. This innovative therapeutic modality utilizes low-energy, high-frequency alternating current to alleviate discomfort, providing a non-invasive or minimally invasive option for those seeking relief from long-term pain. The experience of chronic pain can be never-ending, making everyday activities excruciating, but radio frequency treatment aims to address this by targeting the source of pain.
So how to treat chronic pain?
There is no magic cure for chronic pain or it would not have been chronic. In addition to the pain itself, it often results in anxiety and fear. Yet, there are various ways to alleviate the pain and suffering that come with chronic pain.
Opioids can help with pain relief, but patients who have been prescribed opioids live in fear that they will have to go back to a life of pain, even if they do not suffer from opioid dependence.
All the pain and fear should not cloud our judgment, and so we went out to explore one therapeutic modality for pain relief: radio frequency for chronic pain treatment.
What is radio frequency for chronic pain treatment?
RF current is a low-energy, high-frequency alternating current that has been used for decades in pain treatment. Most procedures involving radiofrequency are invasive, with RF electrodes inserted into the tissue to reach the site of pain. But there is also a novel non-invasive, painless RF application for pain relief.
What is radio frequency ablation?
Radio frequency ablation (RFA)
includes two types of invasive radiofrequency procedures to ablate nerves for the purpose of gaining pain relief. The first is continuous radiofrequency (CRF), which has been used to treat pain for almost 50 years. CRF did not only involve a needle but the risk of motor deficits when the needle hit a motor nerve. Today, the minimally invasive continuous radiofrequency procedure is done with an x-ray to monitor the location of the needle and verify it is not too close to any motor nerve before applying the radiofrequency current.
Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) is a newer treatment and can be applied to pain management.
The high-frequency alternating current used in continuous radiofrequency causes thermal lesions in the target tissue through the radiofrequency electrode tip. When applying the current, there is control over the lesion, depending on factors such as the size of the electrode and the duration of therapy. Pulsed radiofrequency is different in that it uses radiofrequency in bursts. Unlike continuous radiofrequency, pulsed radiofrequency does not involve thermal lesions and tissue destruction. When the current does not come through, it allows tissue to remain below temperatures that damage it or at least below temperatures that cause the tissue to suffer more than minimal damage.
The mechanism by which PRF helps gain pain relief is unclear. It seems that in theory, PRF is better than CRF because it causes no tissue destruction. There seem to be fewer risks and side effects with PRF when compared with CRF. Although the mechanism of PRF is not yet clear, there is accumulated data regarding its applications. An accurate diagnosis is crucial for patients before treatment, as it points to the likelihood of achieving the desired effect through pulsed radio frequency.
A novel radiofrequency treatment does not require an invasive procedure of any kind. RF pain relief devices offer radio frequency for chronic pain treatment, without the risks or side effects, with no invasive procedure or ablation, no pain or appointments, in the comfort of your own home, whenever you need it. When combined with other pain relief modalities, the results can be even better. The only FDA-cleared home-use device featuring the patented synergy of 3 energy sources: RF, IR heat energy, and LLLT energy is Solio Alfa Plus, FDA-cleared for pain relief.
How many treatments will I need?
When pain is chronic, it can take time to overcome it. The number of treatments depends on the condition, the severity of the pain, the location of pain, and other factors. Patients may require more than one treatment, and a physician can advise regarding the type and duration of treatment.
The treatment regimen becomes so much simpler with self-management. A pain relief device enables patients to treat pain when they experience it, in the comfort of their home, with no need for multiple office visits. With home-use pain relief devices, patients get the chance to hold the solution to their pain in their hand, and the freedom to apply it as they need. It is a solution that offers peace of body and mind.
The treatment regimen becomes so much simpler with self-management. A pain relief device enables patients to treat pain when they experience it, in the comfort of their home, with no need for multiple office visits. With home-use pain relief devices, patients get the chance to hold the solution to their pain in their hand, and the freedom to apply it as they need. It is a solution that offers peace of body and mind.
How soon will I feel pain relief?
There is no one answer to this question. Radio frequency ablation is done with anesthetic to alleviate the pain of the procedure. The anesthetic may result in numbness or weakness immediately after the treatment. For pulsed radiofrequency, it may take some time for the patient to experience the full pain relief benefits. With home-use pain relief devices, pain relief usually begins a short time after a patient starts to use the device.
What are the key takeaways about chronic pain treatment?
Chronic pain is a disease. While knowing this is important, so is knowing that the solution may be closer than you dare to believe. Thanks to technology and innovation, new devices like FDA-cleared Solio Alfa Plus offer pain relief that was previously only available in medical settings, minus the painful procedures and the cost. The fact that a drug-free and painless device is available for self-management of chronic pain is another step forward in the ongoing effort to reduce and eliminate pain.
Don’t just accept pain, find new ways to cope and help your body and mind.
Don’t just accept pain, find new ways to cope and help your body and mind.
