Facet Arthritis Can Sometimes be Treated with Thermal Ablation at LSI

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Facet Arthritis Can Sometimes be Treated with Thermal Ablation at LSI

Facet arthritis, also known as facet disease or facet joint disease, can severely limit the mobility of sufferers because it causes inflammation in the very joints meant to allow twisting and bending. These joints are located in pairs that flank each vertebra, and they are equipped with cartilage that enable the individual sections of the spine to move without friction. But with facet arthritis, cartilage has been worn away and the bony ends of the facet joints rub against each other and cause irritation. In many cases the joint also swells, putting pressure on surrounding tissue, which increases pain.

To treat facet arthritis, doctors generally begin with conservative, noninvasive techniques that include:

A short period of bed rest
Anti-inflammatory medications
Physical therapy
Spinal decompression or traction

If these methods are unsuccessful and do not offer any relief, a doctor may suggest the patient consider surgery. Thermal ablation at Laser Spine Institute is a possible option. This revolutionary procedure uses a laser to clean damaged tissue from the facet joint and also deadens nerves that send pain signals to the brain. This minimally-invasive treatment can reduce pain, immediately in some cases, and since it is performed with small tools fed to the surgery site through a narrow tube, it causes very little damage to the surrounding tissue. This results in a quick recovery time.

If this sounds like the type of relief you’d like for your facet arthritis, contact Laser Spine Institute today. We’ll review your MRI or CT scan for free to determine if thermal ablation can help you.

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