It’s no secret that chronic neck pain limits your life. And when you've tried physical therapy, medications, and injections without meaningful relief, it’s easy to get discouraged. You’re not ready to consider surgery — and the good news is that you might not have to.
Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive approach that addresses the nerve pathways responsible for your chronic neck pain. It can potentially provide relief that lasts far longer than temporary treatments.
Eric Fanaee, MD, and our team in Bellmore, Smithtown, and West Islip, New York, specialize in cutting-edge pain management. Here’s what we want you to know about radiofrequency ablation for neck pain.
Something as simple as sleeping in an awkward position can make your neck hurt for a day or two. But when it comes to chronic pain, arthritis, disc degeneration, or injuries like muscle strain and whiplash are often to blame.
Arthritis in your cervical spine develops when small facet joints between the vertebrae in your neck get inflamed and painful. Disc degeneration happens when the soft discs that cushion your vertebrae get brittle and flatter. Both whiplash and poor posture cause muscle strain and persistent neck discomfort in severe cases.
Chronic neck pain might be constant or intermittent, sharp or dull, localized to one area or radiating into your shoulders and arms. First-line treatment often includes medication and physical therapy, but when conservative treatments provide only temporary relief, more targeted interventions like radiofrequency ablation become worth exploring.
When your cervical facet joints are inflamed or damaged, the medial branch nerves supplying those joints constantly send pain signals to your brain. This creates the chronic discomfort you experience. Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat energy to interrupt the pain signals so you feel less discomfort.
During a radiofrequency ablation procedure, Dr. Fanaee uses imaging guidance to position a needle near the specific medial branch nerves responsible for those pain signals. Once the needle is in place, he sends radiofrequency energy through the needle. This creates heat that damages the nerve tissue and stops it from transmitting pain signals.
Because the procedure is minimally invasive, we use only local anesthesia and light sedation. There are no incisions — just a small needle puncture — and you go home the same day. There's minimal pain during recovery and you can resume normal activities within days.
Medication and even more advanced treatments like steroid injections can reduce pain — but results are temporary. These options provide relief for days, weeks, or months until effects wear off.
The results of radiofrequency ablation last longer because the procedure targets the source of your pain. The nerve isn't just quieted; it's disrupted.
Most people experience pain relief beginning within a few days and reaching maximum benefit within two to three weeks. Relief typically lasts six months to two years or longer. Some people experience permanent relief if the nerve doesn't regenerate. Others might need repeat procedures if pain gradually returns as the nerve heals itself.
Radiofrequency ablation works best for chronic neck pain caused by facet joint arthritis or inflammation. Dr. Fanaee might recommend it if you've tried conservative treatments without adequate success, if your pain worsens with neck extension or rotation, and if diagnostic injections (medial branch blocks) confirm that facet joints are your primary pain source.
Radiofrequency ablation typically isn't appropriate if your neck pain stems from disc herniation compressing nerves, if you have severe structural instability, or if imaging shows significant compression requiring surgical decompression.
Dr. Fanaee specializes in pain management, and our team is ready to help you find a solution for your chronic discomfort. If chronic neck pain has limited your life and conventional treatments haven't provided relief, radiofrequency ablation might finally deliver the lasting relief you've been seeking.
Contact Eric Fanaee, MD, to book your first appointment today.
