Rhizotomy Treatment Morehead

If you are suffering from chronic back pain, you know altogether too well how painful and debilitating this can be. Pain radiating from your back is exhausting and many people find themselves unable to cope with the simple activities of daily living.  The healthcare providers at Kentucky Pain Institute and Spurlock Chiropractic Centre, located in Morehead, Kentucky, have developed an outstanding reputation for their ability to accurately diagnose and appropriately treat patients presenting with back pain.

In diagnosing the cause of back pain, we sometimes find that this pain is stemming from the spine’s facet joints. Facet joints are small stabilizing joints between and behind adjacent vertebrae.  It is when these joints become swollen from injury or arthritis that pain sets in. We refer to this pain as “facet syndrome”. Generally, this pain originates in either cervical, thoracic and lumbar facet joints. Nerve roots pass through facet joints to go from the spinal cord to other parts of the body. Typically, this pain is intermittent rather than constant but as episode of this pain can be difficult to tolerate. Patients may feel point tenderness overlying the inflamed facet joint. Most people will experience more pain while leaning backward than while leaning forward. Lumbar facet joint pain moves downward into the buttocks and down the back of the leg. Cervical facet joint pain may radiate pain in the neck or into the shoulders or upper back.

The most definitive diagnosis of facet joint pain can be made by a facet joint injection (a combination of X-ray contrast material, local anesthetic and cortisone) or block. If this conservative solution of steroid injections into the facet joint brings immediate relief, this is a confirmation of the presence of facet joint syndrome. While this injection relief is short-term, for long-term relief and in more severe cases, our medical providers, based upon this diagnostic, will perform a rhizotomy.

With the goal of providing pain relief by turning off the pain signals from the facet joint to the brain, a rhizotomy, a treatment available in Morehead at our clinic, can bring pain relief of longer duration, lasting months or even years. This procedure will sever nerve roots in the spinal cord, relieving back pain and muscle spasms. Some of the tiny nerve endings are destroyed with an electrified hot probe technique (facet rhizotomy) performed with careful fluoroscopic guidance.

When you come to your appointment at Kentucky Pain Institute and Spurlock Chiropractic Centre, you will experience a state-of-the-art facility with well-trained, experienced providers. It is our goal to listen to you to get a sense of your pain and work with you to provide treatment that will bring the relief you are seeking.  If rhizotomy is the solution we recommend, you will be given a thorough orientation about the procedure and why we believe it is the solution to your pain. Rest assured that our clinic is committed to delivering relief from pain without exposing patients to the dangers of addiction.

The rhizotomy treatment procedure begins with the procedure site being numbed. Your doctor will use fluoroscopy (real-time X-ray) to guide the electrode. When in place, the problematic nerve will be confirmed through mild electrical current stimulation. Once the correct nerve is confirmed, the electrode is heated to deaden the nerve. The electrode is then removed and your site will be bandaged. You can plan to return to normal activities the day following your rhizotomy and will soon begin to notice a reduction in your pain. This improvement will continue over the next several weeks, with long-term pain relief on the horizon.

When you visit Kentucky Pain Institute and Spurlock Chiropractic Centre, we will work hard to put this painful chapter behind you. Call us today at (606) 784-1115 or Toll-Free at (800) 318-4444 and talk with one of our friendly assistants who will answer your questions and help you to set up an appointment at our amazing facility.