Ablation for lower back pain L4-5 S1

If your diagnostic test relieved your pain then go for it! Why aren't they giving you local anesthesia for the pain?! that's crazy. There is too kinds of ablation: heat and pulse. The pulse does not work on me. the heat does great!!! My first one lasted 15 years. It takes a couple of tries sometimes. But it was SO great. My last one's 15 years later meant it was time for surgery. I am SO thankful they were there for me. I have severe stenosis.

I had the nerve block in the office all they gave me was lidocaine first two nerve blocks were awful. But it's over. Thank you for your input I appreciate it.

I had ablation performed in 2022…L4/5 area. This was the last treatment prior to fusion in June 2023. The ablation lasted nearly 8 mos. It was heaven! Unfortunately, when it wore off…it was significantly worse than pre treatment. Had corticosteroids, stem cells, Prolotherapy, PT, ablation and fusion. I still have some pain, but it’s better. I think you will be amazed, but know it doesn’t last forever.

I had my lumbar ablation yesterday and as soon as the IV medication wore off, I was in excruciating pain. it was so intense. All I could do was walk back-and-forth in my house. I could not find a comfortable position whatsoever. I had a few pills of Dilaudid left from my lumbar fusion surgery and took one of those, and it offered me enough relief that it took the edge off the pain and I could get comfortable and keep water and food down.
Today, my back is still very sore, numb, I’m still having a lot of pain and am limited in the ways that I can move (bending, stretching, turning etc) even more so than before the ablation.
My doctor told me to expect to feel this way over the next few weeks. He also said it would take 5 to 6 weeks to feel any pain relief from the ablation.
Did you experience what I went through post ablation? How long did that last, and how long did it take for you to feel any pain relief from the ablation?

a nerve block is an epidural which is not an RFA (radio frequency Ablatia). The epidural is an injection to give pain relief from inflammation or it is diagnostic to determine if that is the area your pain comes from. If you are relieved of your pain then they will schedule the RFA.
I had an epidural when I was delivering my son, I agree it was horrid!!! but I've had them again later for a variety of pain relief in my spine. Not bad at all! I think you should talk to them.
One time I had an RFA and it was super painful so they use twilight sleep but I have to find a driver. Maybe the nerves are "knocked out" now so I have no difficulty at the injection site. Good luck!

When I had a nerve block it was not an epidural. The doctor put 6 needles in my back to determine area of pain. The first two were painful he said they were the most tender. The other 4 were fine. I did have an epidural prior to this to see if it would relieve my pain and it did not. Then that was the need for the nerve block. I am 3 days out from my RFA and I'm feeling the site they went into my back. So far so good. I go for my right side in 2 weeks. Hopefully I will be done.

Just make sure they give you enough anesthetic because it is a painful procedure.

It works pretty well for 6 Mos to a year. I had three

I’m having a lumbar ablation today and was wondering if those who have had one can let me know if the recovery is painful, and how long does the recovery take?
Thank you!