Living with chronic pain can feel like a full-time battle—especially when traditional treatments like medications, physical therapy, or even injections haven’t brought meaningful relief. For many patients across Georgia, nerve ablation offers a safe, effective solution that targets pain at its source—without surgery or long-term drug use.
Nerve ablation, also known as radiofrequency ablation (RFA), is a specialized pain management procedure designed to quiet overactive nerves that send chronic pain signals to the brain. It’s a safe, minimally invasive treatment that’s helping thousands of patients across Georgia regain mobility and reduce reliance on pain medications or surgery.
Nerve ablation works by using controlled heat (radiofrequency) or cold (cryoablation) to temporarily disrupt the function of specific sensory nerves responsible for chronic pain. These nerves are not destroyed, but rather “silenced,” so they stop transmitting pain signals while the rest of the body continues to function normally.
The result? Significant, often long-lasting relief—without affecting strength or movement.
At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, our nerve ablation procedures are performed with advanced imaging technology like fluoroscopy (real-time X-ray) or ultrasound guidance. This ensures:
Facet joints are small joints in the spine that allow for flexibility and movement. Over time, arthritis and wear-and-tear can irritate the tiny nerves that supply these joints, leading to persistent lower back pain.
Nerve ablation can precisely target these nerves (called medial branch nerves), offering months of relief without needing surgery or daily medication.
Similar to the lumbar spine, the cervical facet joints in the neck can become arthritic or injured, causing pain that radiates into the shoulders or upper back.
Cervical nerve ablation helps quiet the nerves around these joints, providing long-term neck pain relief and improving range of motion.
The SI joint, where the spine meets the pelvis, is a common source of lower back and buttock pain—especially after trauma, pregnancy, or degenerative changes.
When this joint becomes inflamed, the nerves surrounding it can send constant pain signals. Nerve ablation around the SI joint can effectively break this pain cycle, especially for patients who haven’t responded to injections or physical therapy.
Peripheral nerves located outside the spine can become damaged due to diabetes, injuries, or inflammation—causing symptoms like burning, tingling, or sharp shooting pain in the arms, legs, or feet.
In select cases, nerve ablation can be used to target specific peripheral nerves, reducing pain and restoring function in the affected area.
Not every surgery eliminates pain. Some patients experience persistent nerve-related pain even after spinal procedures. This condition, known as Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS), may be due to scar tissue or ongoing nerve irritation.
Nerve ablation offers a non-surgical solution to reduce pain and improve quality of life for these patients—without needing revision surgery.
Arthritis doesn’t only affect bones—it also irritates surrounding nerves. Patients with chronic knee, hip, or shoulder arthritis may benefit from nerve ablation targeting the genicular (knee), obturator (hip), or suprascapular (shoulder) nerves.
This technique can relieve joint pain, improve mobility, and delay or even avoid joint replacement surgery.
Spinal stenosis and disc degeneration are common age-related conditions that compress spinal nerves, causing radiating pain, numbness, or weakness.
While not a cure, nerve ablation can help calm the affected nerves, offering functional relief and allowing patients to stay active longer—without jumping straight to surgical intervention.
You may be a strong candidate if you’ve experienced ongoing pain lasting more than 3–6 months, especially in the back, neck, joints, or peripheral nerves, and haven’t found relief through traditional options like:
When conservative care fails to provide sustained relief, nerve ablation offers a minimally invasive next step—before considering surgery.
One of the most important steps in determining eligibility for nerve ablation is the diagnostic nerve block. This is a short procedure where a small amount of numbing medication is injected near the suspected nerve source.
If this block provides temporary but noticeable relief, it confirms that the targeted nerve is contributing to your pain—making you an ideal candidate for nerve ablation.
Nerve ablation is often chosen by patients who:
The procedure can offer relief without the recovery time and potential complications associated with surgical interventions.
Your journey at Medici Orthopaedics & Spine begins with a comprehensive evaluation by one of our board-certified interventional pain specialists. This includes:
We take the time to understand your full health background, including previous injuries, surgeries, chronic conditions, and past treatments.
If needed, we use X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, or ultrasound to get a clear view of the affected area and identify nerve involvement.
We assess your pain location, nerve function, reflexes, range of motion, and other key physical markers to guide diagnosis and treatment planning.
Before proceeding to ablation, we perform targeted nerve blocks to ensure the treatment is properly matched to the source of your pain.
Before your nerve ablation, you’ll meet with one of our board-certified interventional pain specialists for a detailed consultation. During this visit, we’ll:
If nerve ablation is right for you, we’ll schedule your procedure and provide any necessary pre-visit instructions.
Nerve ablation is performed as an outpatient procedure at one of our Georgia clinics—including Atlanta (Buckhead), Marietta, Kennesaw, and Snellville. That means no hospital stay is required—you’ll go home the same day.
To keep you comfortable, we use local anesthetic at the treatment site, and in some cases, mild sedation may be offered. Most patients stay awake but relaxed throughout the procedure.
Nerve ablation typically takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on how many nerves are being treated and their location. The procedure is performed using image guidance (fluoroscopy or ultrasound) for pinpoint accuracy.
During the procedure, you may feel:
Afterward, some localized soreness is common, but typically resolves quickly.
Nerve ablation requires minimal downtime:
Our team will provide personalized post-procedure instructions and follow-up support to monitor your progress.
While every patient responds differently, you can expect:
If your pain returns after several months, the procedure can be safely repeated as needed.
If you’ve been living with chronic pain—trying treatment after treatment with limited results—it’s time to explore something different. Nerve ablation is a safe, clinically proven procedure that targets the source of your pain and delivers real, lasting relief without the need for surgery or long-term medication use.
At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, we’re proud to offer expert, compassionate care across Georgia, with a focus on treating the cause of your pain—not just masking it. Our team of board-certified physicians specializes in minimally invasive solutions that help you regain movement, sleep better, and enjoy life again.
Contact Medici Orthopaedics & Spine today to find out if nerve ablation is the right next step in your chronic pain recovery.
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At Medici, you’re more than your MRI.
We take time to hear your story, understand your pain, and create a plan that actually works for you.
Our team delivers specialist care at convenient locations across Metro Atlanta:
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