Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain afflicts millions of Americans every year, and is thought to be the main culprit in up to 30% of chronic back pain sufferers. It continues to be widely underdiagnosed by many physicians in part because MRIs of the low back typically do not focus on this area and therefore show nothing abnormal. Most patients with the condition feel hopeless when conventional treatments including physical therapy and steroid injections do not provide sustained relief.
As outlined in the Winter 2011 issue of Pain Pathways magazine, Radiofrequency (RF) Ablation offers new hope. In this procedure, a probe is inserted near the area of the SI joint and its tip is heated – deadening the surrounding nerve tissue and offering substantial and more prolonged pain relief. A similar procedure can be performed for nerves in the low back (medial branch nerves which innervate facet joints of the lumbar spine).
We have performed numerous RF ablations at the Orthohealing Center with exceptional results , and are excited to see word spread about this innovative procedure!
