What is RFA?
Dr. Coccaro guides radiofrequency energy precisely to the nerves that trigger your pain. The energy creates a small heat lesion that interrupts the nerve’s pain signaling.
What it treats
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Sacroiliac joint pain
- Neuropathic pain
- Spondylosis (arthritis of the spine)
- Lingering pain after spine surgery
RFA is best suited to chronic pain that hasn’t responded to treatments like physical therapy, and it can help you delay or avoid surgery.
How we decide if it’s right for you
First comes a full exam, a conversation about your symptoms, and a careful review of your history, X-rays and MRI. Then Dr. Coccaro performs a diagnostic nerve block. If that block significantly relieves your pain, RFA is likely to work — and it lasts far longer than an injection.
Preparing and recovering
You’ll receive specific instructions beforehand; you may need to pause anti-inflammatory or other medications. Because you receive a sedative, plan for someone to drive you home.
It can take a few weeks to feel the full effect. A brief increase in pain early on is common and a sign the treatment is working; most patients feel significant relief within two weeks. Nerves gradually regenerate, so pain can return over time — the procedure can be repeated.