How Radio Frequency Ablation is Transforming the Treatment of Hip Pain

There may be no musculoskeletal injury or condition more limiting than one involving hip pain, which can quickly disrupt the quality of life by impairing daily activities and impacting mental and emotional health. Because patients often present with low back or knee joint pain, the source of a hip injury can be hard to diagnose correctly and it’s not long before a chronic pain condition sets in. Agitation can be so severe that many patients consider surgery for hip pain relief. Luckily, the dedicated physicians at MAPS Center for Pain Control offer alternative interventional pain management options like Radio Frequency Ablation that are minimally invasive and highly effective. What is RFA, and how can it get you back on your feet?

Using Radio Waves for Relief

Radio Frequency Ablation is a method for pain reduction that heats nerve tissue by creating an electrical current with radio waves. First used in 1931 in Germany for facial nerve pain, it has since become a staple for treating chronic pain conditions, especially in the neck, lower back, hips, and arthritic joints. RFA creates enough heat to signal-stopping lesions on the nerves responsible for sending pain sensations to the brain while leaving the surrounding nerves and tissues completely intact.

MAPS uses RFA to Transform the Treatment of Hip Pain

Some of the most challenging hip pain conditions to treat are exceptionally responsive to RFA treatment, and MAPS Center for Pain Control help patients find hip pain relief through this simple and minimally-invasive procedure:

• After the physician reviews diagnostic images, you’ll rest on an “X-Ray table” that helps locate the treatment area through real-time, continuous X-ray imaging called fluoroscopy.
• A local anesthetic will be used to numb the skin where a thin, hollow needle will be inserted, and once it’s reached the intended site, the physician will test the area for sensation with a microelectrode.
• Another local anesthetic is injected into the space near the target area. A radiofrequency current is delivered to the exact area of the nerve needing treatment, heating it and effectively blocking it from passing pain signals to the brain.
• More than one nerve can be treated at once if needed; treatments can take as little as 15 minutes.

The benefits of RFA far outweigh the potential risks associated with surgical alternatives. Radio Frequency Ablation for hip pain offers fast and long-lasting relief with little to no recovery time, improvement in function, and results in a return to regular activities after a couple of days of rest. Also, it can be used as pain management in conjunction with regenerative treatments to provide relief while the body heals at the source of the injury,

Lean on MAPS for Hip Pain Relief

Hip pain can make it challenging to stay active and mobile, so if this chronic condition limits the lifestyle you enjoy, it’s time to get support from Chicagoland’s leading interventional pain specialists. Our double-board certified physicians are 100% focused on providing the most advanced and effective pain relief treatments. They have helped thousands of patients avoid invasive surgeries and replacements. Call us today for the compassionate and comprehensive care you deserve!