Radiofrequency Ablation
Anesthesiologist and Pain Management Physician located in Bangor, ME
If neck or back pain is a constant in your life, you don’t have to live with the discomfort it causes. In Bangor, Maine, highly trained pain management and anesthesiology specialist Ammar Mahmoud, MD, offers radiofrequency ablation to ease chronic pain and restore your quality of life. Call the office to schedule an appointment, or use the online booking feature today.
Radiofrequency ablation is a pain-management treatment that uses radio waves to heat and destroy areas of painful nerves. Eliminating the affected nerves reduces pain signals to your brain to ease ongoing or extreme discomfort. Dr. Mahmoud has many years of experience completing the procedure, and he’s highly trained in the field of pain management.
Dr. Mahmoud discusses your symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle to determine if you’re a candidate for radiofrequency ablation. He completes a physical exam or may order blood tests, nerve testing, heart-function tests, X-rays, an MRI, or other imaging procedures.
Radiofrequency ablation is useful if you struggle with the following:
The procedure can reduce or eliminate discomfort, improve musculoskeletal functioning, reduce the need for or delay surgery, and lessen or eliminate the amount of pain medicines you take.
Radiofrequency ablation may not be a match for you if you’re pregnant, have a bleeding problem, or develop an infection.
Follow Dr. Mahmoud’s instructions to get ready for radiofrequency ablation. You might first need a diagnostic block injection to confirm the source of your pain and predict the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation. Arrange for someone to drive you home afterward, and stop taking certain medicines as instructed.
During a radiofrequency ablation procedure, you lie on your stomach on an X-ray table. You receive medicine to numb the treatment area and relax you, but a sedative is usually optional.
Dr. Mahmoud inserts a thin need into painful areas, and under X-ray guidance, he ensures proper needle placement. He then uses a radiofrequency current to heat portions of affected nerves to reduce pain signals to your brain. He may treat more than one nerve group during the procedure, which can last 15 minutes up to two hours.
After you undergo radiofrequency ablation, have a family member or friend drive you home. Get plenty of rest and return to normal activities after a day or two, as directed by Dr. Mahmoud.
You can expect some tenderness, soreness, or muscle spasms for several days. Ice the treatment area to reduce swelling and attend physical therapy sessions if Dr. Mahmoud asks you to. Attend follow-up visits with him to ensure the treatment worked effectively.
To learn more about radiofrequency ablation with Ammar Mahmoud, MD, and find out if it’s right for you, call his office or use the online booking feature today.