Redefine Healthcare Offering Same-Day, Interventional Spine Procedures

Redefine Healthcare is pleased to announce that they will now offer same-day interventional spine procedures at their four NJ locations. These procedures include:

Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation is a pain-relief procedure involving an electrical current that heats a targeted area of nerve tissue to decrease pain signals from that area. Pain relief from this procedure typically lasts anywhere from six to 12 months. Occasionally, a patient will experience pain relief that lasts for years. Conditions radiofrequency ablation can help include chronic neck or lower back pain as well as joint pain caused by arthritis. Good candidates for this procedure are at least 18 years of age and have been experiencing chronic lower back or neck pain for at least three to six months.

Sympathetic Blocks

Sympathetic blocks work by diagnosing and treating pain caused by the sympathetic nerves. These nerves (part of the sympathetic nervous system) are located on both sides of the spinal column and help control the organs by regulating heart rate, blood flow, and other basic functions. They can also carry pain signals from the peripheral tissues. Symptoms of problems with the sympathetic nerves include pain, swelling, sweating, and changes in color. Sympathetic blocks, as the name suggests, blocks these pain signals and help the patient feel better.

Medial Branch Blocks

The medial branch nerves feed out from the spine’s facet joints and deliver pain signals to the brain. Medial branch blocks are procedures in which an anesthetic is injected to a targeted location in a facet joint. Some patients experience immediate pain relief; when this happens, it can be determined that the facet joint was the source of the pain, making this a diagnostic procedure as well. This procedure is often used with success after the patient has already tried other facet joint injections.

Spinal Cord Stimulator

A spinal cord stimulator is a device that the physician implants in the back to relieve chronic pain. This device sends electrical pulses that interfere with the existing pain-producing nerve impulses. Spinal cord stimulators are often used to treat pain associated with sciatica, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, failed back surgery syndrome, and degenerative disc disease. Your physician may perform a trial procedure to monitor the outcome for a few days to ensure success before recommending a permanent neuro-stimulator.

Epidural Lysis Of Adhesions

Epidural Lysis of adhesions is a procedure used to remove scar tissue in the epidural area. This area is a thin space between the protective layers around the spinal cord and the spinal column inside. The epidural space is padded by fat tissue, blood vessels, and nerve roots and runs the whole length of the spine. Scar tissue and adhesions can cause pain by restricting the natural movement of the local nerves. During this procedure, a mixture of local anesthetics and steroids is injected into the area to reduce inflammation and provide significant pain relief.

If you think these procedures may be right for you, or you’re experiencing chronic back pain, contact Redefine Healthcare today for an appointment.