Medial branch blocks

Radley

I have found out that I have facet joint arthritis and have been booked in for bilateral medial branch blocks followed by radio frequency denervation treatment.
Has anyone else had this treatment? Did it help?

Mike1

I am riddled with OA in most joints and have degenerative facet joint disease, as well as compressed discs, detached disc in my neck and other problems. I have had medial branch blocks, which is just the term for injections of steroids and anaesthetic around the spine several times and none of them lasted longer than a week although they are supposed to give months of relief, even up to 2 years relief!. I have also had denervations twice, this is done under local anaesthetic when one is lying face down on an x-ray plate on a metal table which completes a circuit, the surgeon then pushes a long needle into the area around the spine guided by the live x-ray feed, when the needle hits the nerve I screamed and the surgeon said "good I have found it" then activated the switch to burn the nerve in question out; the procedure is repeated several times. Like I said I have had this procedure a couple of times and the effect did not last long, the surgeon explained that this is because the nerves will re-route themselves to get the pain signals to the brain. The procedures obviously works for some people otherwise the medics would not keep using them so just because they did not work for me I would still encourage anyone being offered them to go for it, ANYTHING that offers the prospect of reducing the amount of pain suffered is worth trying!