Can Radio Wave be used to treat neck pain and back pain?

   Disc Nucleoplasty is a minimally invasive alternative for treating a herniated or bulging disc. This procedure uses a needle that emits radio waves to shrink a disc bulge by dissolving excess tissue. This relieves the pressure inside the disc and on the nerves responsible for causing pain.

   If you have back and neck pain causing by disc inflammation, for the phase, the orthopedist will advise to take anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy treatment or epidural or spinal injection and observing the condition for 1-2 months. If the problem persists then the orthopedist will consider Disc Nucleoplasty method.

   The procedure usually takes 60 minutes or less with the use of local anesthesia and mild sedation to make the patient more comfortable during the procedure. Using the X-Ray guidance, an introducer needle is inserted into the sidewall of the disc. Then the Disc Nucleoplasty devise is passed through the needle and positioned in the internal portion of the disc. Once in the correct position, the device is used to reduce the amount of excess tissue. This treatment can potentially reduce the size of the bulge, and also relieve pressure inside the disc as well as the pressure on nerves being affected.

   Disc nucleoplasty is a minimally invasive surgical procedure and is advantageous as this approach does not carry the risk of possible nerve damage to the surrounding nerves around the herniated disc. The patient could go back home the next day of treatment, and resume their normal every day routine faster or within 2 weeks after the procedure. Some patients might feel a mild back or neck pain after the procedure; it is advised to use cold packs initially or an extra medication during this time. Other patients feel better within a week.