Radiofrequency Ablation
When neck or back pain keeps coming back, it can start to run your day. Sitting through a meeting, getting in and out of the car, or sleeping through the night all take planning. Radiofrequency ablation, often called RFA, is a non-surgical option that uses gentle heat to quiet the small nerves sending pain signals from an arthritic joint.
At MVM Health, our pain specialists use live X-ray guidance to place each treatment with care. Book a visit at one of our clinics in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and Arizona to find out if RFA fits your pain.
- Board-Certified Physicians
- Care Across Multiple Specialties
Meet Our Expert Team
Board Certified Expert
At MVM Health — Movement. Vitality. Medicine. — we are committed to providing exceptional pain, vein, and wellness services that empower individuals to reclaim their health and well-being. With our team of Harvard-trained experts, we strive to deliver transformative outcomes that restore comfort, confidence, and quality of life. MVM Health’s mission is to help every patient relieve discomfort, restore motion, and renew life.
Vwaire Orhurhu, MD, MPH
Harvard Medical School
Mariam Salisu, MD, MPH
Harvard Medical School
Peter Isaac, DO
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Ali Amin, MD
Baylor College of Medicine
THOMAS KHOURY, MD
Harvard Medical School
ANTHONY TURNER, MD
Yale School of Medicine
KIRAN C. TAMIRISA
Baylor College of Medicine
TARIQ ALFARRA, DO
JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL
Rishi Sheth, MD
University of Miami School of Medicine
Henry Onyeaka, MD, MPH
Harvard Medical School
Felicia Todd, CNP
Moravian College
Carrie Ward, CNP
Franklin University
Kruti Solanki, CNP
Drexel University
Christy Daniels, CNP
Chamberlain University
Heerina Kittel, CNP
Maryville University
Vic Urbano, CNP
Walden University
Jameela Azeem, CNP
Hofstra University
Vwaire Orhurhu, MD, MPH
Harvard Medical School
Mariam Salisu, MD, MPH
Harvard Medical School
Peter Isaac, DO
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Ali Amin, MD
Baylor College of Medicine
THOMAS KHOURY, MD
Harvard Medical School
ANTHONY TURNER, MD
Yale School of Medicine
KIRAN C. TAMIRISA
Baylor College of Medicine
Rishi Seth, MD
University of Miami School of Medicine
Henry Onyeaka, MD, MPH
Harvard Medical School
Felicia Todd, CNP
Moravian College
Vic Urbano, CNP
Walden University
Jameela Azeem, CNP
Hofstra University
We work with a wide variety of insurance providers
and 100+ more
What Is Radiofrequency Ablation?
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive procedure that uses radio waves to create a small, controlled area of heat at the tip of a thin probe. The heat disrupts a nerve so it can no longer carry pain signals from a painful joint to the brain. The nerve is not cut and nothing is removed.
The nerves we treat are usually the same small nerves tested by a medial branch block. That is why the block comes first. When the block brings clear relief, RFA aims to give you that relief for longer.
RFA vs. a steroid injection. Steroid injections put anti-inflammatory medicine near a painful structure. RFA works differently by changing how the nerve sends pain signals. Relief usually lasts longer, and it can be repeated if pain returns.
RFA vs. surgery. RFA is done through a needle, with no incision, and most people go home the same day. It does not change the structure of your spine. It is chosen when the main problem is pain from the joint nerves.
Where Can RFA Be Used?
RFA is best known for spine pain, and it can be used at several levels.
Neck (cervical spine)
RFA of the cervical facet nerves may help with neck pain that is worse with turning or looking up, and with neck-related headaches that start at the base of the skull. Learn more about neck pain.
Mid-back (thoracic spine)
Facet pain in the mid-back is less common, so a careful workup comes first. When the diagnostic block points clearly to a joint, RFA may be considered for pain between the shoulder blades.
Lower back (lumbar spine)
This is the most common use for spinal RFA. It is often considered for low back pain that worsens when you arch backward, twist or stand for a long time. Learn more about back pain.
Sacroiliac (SI) joint
The nerves around the SI joint can also be treated when a sacroiliac joint injection or block confirms that this joint is the source of pain at the base of the spine.
Common Causes of Pain That RFA Can Treat
RFA does not treat every kind of pain. It is aimed at pain that travels through small sensory nerves from a joint. Common sources include:
Facet joint arthritis
Wear and tear in the small joints at the back of the spine is the most common reason for RFA. This is often called facet arthropathy or spondylosis.
Degenerative disc changes
When discs lose height, the facet joints take on extra load and become painful. See degenerative disc disease.
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis in the spinal joints can cause morning stiffness and aching that comes back over time. Read about arthritis.
Whiplash and old injuries
A neck injury from a car accident can leave the facet joints sore for years.
Slipped vertebrae
When one vertebra slides over another, nearby joints can become irritated. See spondylolisthesis.
SI joint pain
Inflammation or uneven movement in the SI joint can respond to treatment of its small nerves.
Pain from nerve root compression
Pain that shoots down an arm or leg from a herniated disc or spinal stenosis usually needs a different approach, such as an epidural injection. RFA does not treat the compressed nerve root.
Car accidents and injuries
Whiplash, falls and sports injuries can injure discs and irritate nearby nerves, causing pain that travels into an arm or leg.
Risk Factors
Anyone can develop facet joint or SI joint pain, but these factors raise the odds that it becomes long-lasting:
- Being over age 40, when cartilage and discs begin to wear
- A past neck or back injury, including whiplash from a car accident
- Work that involves heavy lifting, repeated twisting or long hours of standing
- Long hours of sitting with poor posture, such as desk work or long drives
- Carrying extra body weight, which adds load to the spine
- Arthritis, or a family history of joint and disc problems
- Smoking, which reduces blood flow to spinal discs and slows healing
Symptoms
- A deep, dull ache in the neck or back that comes back after other treatments
- Pain that is worse when you lean back, twist or stand for a long time
- Stiffness when you wake up or after sitting that eases once you move
- Tender spots over the spine that hurt when pressed
- Pain that can spread to the shoulder, buttock or thigh but rarely goes below the knee
- Temporary relief from earlier injections that wears off too soon
- Pain that limits sleep, work, driving or exercise
When Pain Needs Urgent Care Instead
RFA is for long-lasting pain, not for emergencies. Get medical help right away if you have:
- Loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness in the groin or inner thighs
- Leg or arm weakness that is getting worse
- Fever, chills or feeling very unwell
- A history of cancer, or weight loss you cannot explain
- Severe pain after a fall, car accident or other injury
- Chest pain or trouble breathing (call 911)
These signs can point to infection, a fracture or nerve compression, and they need prompt evaluation before any procedure is planned.
Book a pain evaluation
Other Treatment Options
Spine pain management starts with the least invasive options and steps up only when needed. An epidural is one option among several, and most people with spine pain never need surgery.
Conservative care
Anti-inflammatory medicine is placed near irritated spinal nerves to ease pain that radiates into an arm or leg, such as from a herniated disc or stenosis.
Medicine is placed in or near the small joints of the spine to ease arthritis pain. A positive response also helps confirm where the pain starts.
Controlled heat quiets the small nerves that carry pain signals from arthritic spine joints. It’s often considered after a successful nerve block.
A small device sends mild electrical pulses that change how pain signals reach the brain. It’s used for long-term pain that hasn’t responded to other care, and it starts with a short trial.
Platelets from your own blood may support healing in some joint and soft-tissue conditions. Your provider will tell you whether it’s a reasonable option for you.
Preparing for RFA and Recovering at Home
Follow the instructions from your care team, since they match your health and the type of sedation planned. Here is what most patients should know.
Line up a driver. A responsible adult should take you home. Sedation can make driving unsafe, so plan on no driving that day.
Review your medicines. Tell us about every medicine and supplement you take. Blood thinners and diabetes medicines may need changes, and you should only adjust them when your physician says to.
Follow the eating and drinking rules. If sedation is planned, we usually ask you to stop eating and drinking for several hours beforehand. Your clinic will give you the exact timing.
Call us if you are sick. A fever, flu or infection may mean we need to reschedule.
Expect some soreness. Tenderness where the needles went in, or a temporary flare of your usual pain, is common. Ice and over-the-counter pain relievers, if they are safe for you, usually help. Some people feel a sunburn-like ache for a few weeks as the nerve settles.
Protect the puncture sites. Showers are fine. Skip baths, hot tubs and pools for 48 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat from radio waves to disrupt specific pain-carrying nerves. It does not involve an incision. It is most often used for chronic neck, back and sacroiliac joint pain.
The heat creates a small lesion on a sensory nerve, which stops it from relaying pain signals from the joint to your brain. The joint itself is not repaired, but you may feel pain less while the nerve recovers.
You may be if you have chronic joint-related pain that has not improved with conservative care and you had a clear response to diagnostic nerve blocks. Pain that mainly shoots down an arm or leg is usually treated differently.
A block shows whether the targeted nerves truly carry your pain. Treating the wrong nerves would not help and could expose you to risks without benefit. Many insurance plans also require this step.
No. A medial branch block uses numbing medicine to test a nerve for a short time. RFA uses heat to interrupt that same nerve for longer.
The skin and deeper tissue are numbed, and many patients receive mild sedation. You may feel pressure, warmth or a brief muscle twitch. Soreness afterward is common and usually fades in days.
The treatment itself often takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on how many nerves are treated. Plan to be at the clinic for a few hours including check-in and recovery.
Relief usually builds over two to three weeks. Some people notice a change sooner. Others have extra soreness first.
Many people report relief for six months to a year or more, but this varies. Nerves can regrow, and pain may return. If RFA worked for you before, it can often be repeated.
MVM Health has pain clinics in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and Arizona. Request an appointment online or call (888) 628-4785. Our team will check your insurance and help you find a time.
Recent blogs
Sciatica in Bethlehem, PA: When MRI Findings Don’t Match Your Leg Symptoms
You finally have your MRI report, and it raises more questions than it answers. Maybe it describes a disc bulge on the left, but your
When Can Leg Discomfort Be a Reason to See a Vein Specialist in Bloomfield, NJ?
Leg discomfort after a busy day is common, especially if you have spent hours standing, walking, or sitting. However, when aching, heaviness, or unusual sensations
How Can Pain Affect Sleep and Daily Activities in Stanhope?
Chronic pain can affect much more than physical comfort. It may interrupt sleep, reduce energy, limit movement, and make ordinary tasks more difficult. When discomfort