RFA
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Archives1
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Do you mean Radio Frequency Ablation? If so, yes I’ve had them 2x in each knee. Just an FYI they are supposed to do two complete trials using very temporary (a few hours) of numbing medicine. I found I did ok with the numbing meds, but the actual ablations only made even worse. Speaking with a new Neurologist, she told me that they are effective around 50% of the time at best and after repeated failures on the trials they should never have done the actual ablation because it just burns the nerve endings and a few hours after the ablation I was in the ER for a nerve block to bring down the pain.
Keep in mind, everyone reacts differently, this is just my recent experiences. Other have done better…
Keep in mind, everyone reacts differently, this is just my recent experiences. Other have done better…
Archives1
Staff member
It was an anesthesiologist. You have to remember that other nearby tissue gets nuked in the process and if they don’t get the nerves properly it can turn up a hornets nest!
I also have a nerve disorder that actually works in my favor most of the time called Neuroplasticity. When a nerve is severed or dies, similar to an artery, my body may generate 1-2-3 new nerves to make up for it, and while very thankful as this allowed me to walk again after severe spine trauma, I also feel pain radiating out to other areas than the actual injury?
Best of luck!
I also have a nerve disorder that actually works in my favor most of the time called Neuroplasticity. When a nerve is severed or dies, similar to an artery, my body may generate 1-2-3 new nerves to make up for it, and while very thankful as this allowed me to walk again after severe spine trauma, I also feel pain radiating out to other areas than the actual injury?
Best of luck!
Archives1
Staff member
Thanks, my doc is a pain specialist who has done several spine epidurals on my last 4 lumbar and S1, several steroid shots on hip and knees. At 74 don’t think I have neuroplasticiy after L2/3 discectomy and L5/S1 rupture about 12 years ago and RRProtatectomy 4.5 years ago. I will use your information to pose questions to him.
Archives1
Staff member
After having the “Wrong surgery on the Wrong Person” done to me I woke up after going in for a titanium cage wrap around my L5/S1 after 7 lumbar surgeries including many partial laminectomies and successful fusion of L4-5, L5/S1 tore 5 different times after I was crushed in a car wreck in 1987, at age 26.
I have been involved in Martial Arts since 8y/o, and was back in the Dojo 1 year after, in the ring 2years after! In 2005 I tore L5/S1 3 times over 18 months. My team told me this was my only hope if I wanted to stay active and agreed immediately.
When I woke up after surgery I had no feeling in my legs.Later found surgeon was up all night drinking and who knows what else, implanted a series of rods and bolts & screws into my lower back including drilling into S2 (HUGE NOOOO!)for a 5’8” man, I was over 6”, so they crushed my spine down to fit the hardware that was 2” short. Short story after about 8 months, I started feeling my legs again and began swimming every day. 2 years post op I walked out of Northwestern Memorial under my own power, no walker, crutches, cane etc. They did numerous MRI’s as I regained feeling and abilities, finding the original nerves had died after being crushed, even though another surgeon performed emergency surgery at Northwestern 10 days later when I was thrown out of the hospital that botched everything. This is where too many docs to name became involved to try to help me and figure out what was going on inside me!
I have been involved in Martial Arts since 8y/o, and was back in the Dojo 1 year after, in the ring 2years after! In 2005 I tore L5/S1 3 times over 18 months. My team told me this was my only hope if I wanted to stay active and agreed immediately.
When I woke up after surgery I had no feeling in my legs.Later found surgeon was up all night drinking and who knows what else, implanted a series of rods and bolts & screws into my lower back including drilling into S2 (HUGE NOOOO!)for a 5’8” man, I was over 6”, so they crushed my spine down to fit the hardware that was 2” short. Short story after about 8 months, I started feeling my legs again and began swimming every day. 2 years post op I walked out of Northwestern Memorial under my own power, no walker, crutches, cane etc. They did numerous MRI’s as I regained feeling and abilities, finding the original nerves had died after being crushed, even though another surgeon performed emergency surgery at Northwestern 10 days later when I was thrown out of the hospital that botched everything. This is where too many docs to name became involved to try to help me and figure out what was going on inside me!
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