• medication
• behavior modification
• physical therapy
• chiropractic adjustment
• injections into the joint

If the pain does not abate through any of these standard, conservative measures, in all likelihood you have sustained a facet joint injury. Facet joint injuries can cause severe pain even when no injury is evident on an MRI.

About Facet Joints

The spine is comprised of facets joints. They facilitate movement. There are two sets of facet joints at the back of each vertebra — one facing up, one facing down, and a joint on either side of each vertebra. Facet joints allow flexing, extending, and twisting motion. The interlocking nature of facet joints give the spine its stability.

Each facet joint is connected to two medial nerves that carry signals (including pain signals) away from the spine to the brain and the rest of the body.

How Radiofrequency Neurotomy Works

A radiofrequency neurotomy (RFN) is a type of injection procedure in which heat is used to injure specific nerves with the goal of killing the nerve. If the nerve is killed, it will interrupt the pain signals to the brain and eliminate the pain.

The doctor is able to pinpoint the exact nerve by using gentle electric pulses through a needle. When the painful nerve is found, it causes muscle twitches or tingling sensations. That confirms that the needle is precisely positioned next to the targeted spinal nerve branch.

Radiofrequency neurotomy provides relief from pain in about 75% of the cases. It is important to realize that RFN is a treatment, not a cure. The nerves will regenerate about every 11-12 months. The procedure will need to be repeated every year in order to maintain pain-free living.

Radiofrequency Neurotomy Complications

As with all medical procedures, there are possible complications with a radiofrequency neurotomy. Complications seldom occur with this procedure, but they could include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Pain around the injection site
• Numbness around the injection site
• Worsened pain due to muscle spasms in the area of the injection
• Permanent nerve pain
• Allergic reaction to medication
• Nerve or spinal cord injury

RFN is fairly expensive, ranging from $3,000 – $10,000 per treatment. Insurance companies will fight to keep from paying for this treatment. It is vital to have a spinal cord injury attorney with experience in radiofrequency neurotomy to receive optimal compensation.

This information is provided as a service of TSR Injury Law, a leading personal injury law firm serving Minneapolis and the entire state of Minnesota. Our partners are skilled litigators with years of experience handling spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and workplace injuries. Call 612-362-0000 or submit our free consultation form.

Categories of Spinal Injury:

• Herniated Discs
• Laminectomies
• Paraplegia
• Radiofrequency Neurotomies
• Soft Tissue Injuries
• Spinal Fusion
• Burst Fractures

Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

A spinal cord injury is a medical emergency. Immediate treatment can reduce long-term effects. The emergency care for spinal injuries has improved significantly. Emergency rooms now aggressive treat and rehabilitate patients with spinal cord injuries. They are able to minimize the damage to the nervous system with use of the steroid drug methylprednisolone; given within the first 8 hours after injury it reduces damage to the nerves. In some cases, this aggressive treatment will even restore limited abilities.

If respiratory complications are included, that usually means a more severe and long-term debilitating injury. Approximately one-third of neck-area spinal cord injury victims will need help with breathing which will require respiratory support.

Eventually treatment will include rehabilitation therapy. The rehabilitation program will combine physical therapy, skill-building activities, and counseling for social and emotional issues.

Spinal Cord Injury Prognosis

Victims sustaining incomplete spinal cord injuries, where the spinal cord is still able to convey messages to and from the brain, will retain some motor and / or sensory functions below the injury. The amount of function will be determined by the amount of damage and how regularly and aggressively physical therapy is performed.

A complete spinal cord injury means that there is a total lack of sensory and motor function below the point of injury. This will usually mean many more medical complications. The complications may include:

• chronic pain
• bladder dysfunction
• bowel dysfunction
• respiratory problems
• heart problems

These chronic conditions need to be handled and monitored on a daily basis to optimize the degree of recovery.

This information is provided as a service of TSR Injury Law. Our Minnesota Spinal Injury Attorneys are skilled, aggressive litigators with years of experience with cases involving spinal injuries from car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, or pedestrian accidents. Call 612-362-0000 or submit our free consultation form.