The pain specialists at FirstHealth Back & Neck Pain have begun to offer thermal radio frequency treatment to relieve chronic moderate-to-severe knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.
The COOLIEF Cooled Radiofrequency (RF) thermal treatment is the first and only radiofrequency treatment to be cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to specifically relieve osteoarthritis knee pain. The minimally invasive thermal radiofrequency pain management system uses water-cooled technology to deactivate pain-causing sensory nerves.
According to James Winkley, M.D., of FirstHealth Back & Neck Pain, the COOLIEF treatment is appropriate for several types of knee pain patients.
“This treatment is great for the person who is not quite ready for a knee replacement or who can’t have one for whatever reason,” he says. “It is also appropriate for someone who continues to have pain after a knee replacement.”
With COOLIEF Cooled RF treatment, a radiofrequency generator transmits a small current of radiofrequency energy through an insulated electrode – or probe – placed within tissue. Ionic heating, produced by the friction of charged molecules, deactivates the nerves responsible for sending pain signals to the brain.
Unlike surgery, COOLIEF Cooled RF treatment involves no incision. Since no general anesthesia is required, patients are usually able to return home shortly after their treatment.
The procedure time varies depending on the physician and the treatment that is needed.
According to Dr. Winkley, COOLIEF Cooled RF treatment can provide significant relief for patients who previously have had few options for their osteoarthritis pain.
“We are seeing about an 80 percent success rate with success being deemed 50 percent or greater pain relief and increased activity,” he says.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, osteoarthritis affects more than 30 million adults in the U.S. and is caused by the damage and breakdown of cartilage between bones that leads to joint pain, swelling and stiffness.
For more information on the COOLIEF Cooled RF treatment being offer by the pain specialists of FirstHealth Back & Neck Pain, call (910) 715-1794.
