Connect
Anybody had medial branch blocks/ablation to relieve back pain?
I am a 79 year old male with chronic lower back pain. Have had a fusion of L5/s1 in 2007 to address spinal stenosis…I have a neurostimulator implanted years ago, which is no longer beneficial.
Have had an initial telemedicine consult with Mayo who recommends the medial branch blocks “with an eye toward ablation”.
I have difficulty walking, and after maybe 40’ I’m bent over, due to weakness in the lower back.
Anybody had experience with the ablation procedure? Successful?
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Spine Health Support Group.
Connect
I had block and ablation. It did not help at all. Epidurals have not helped over 10 years. I refused scs to so am doing meditation, p.tand 15mg Percocet ea day I am hoping to stop percocet. THC and CBD side effects were not tolerable I have one fusion and 3 spondololisthisis areas as well as 2345 bulging disks..
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsHello, I have a bulging disc, stenosis, several degenerative changes in the lumbar area, including the SI joint and a form of arthritis called DISH. I have had medial branch blocks, epidurals, and ablations. All of them have worked to a certain degree but don’t take away the total pain. But to get some relief is great. The problem is that sometimes they don’t last as long as you would like them to, so you can get to the next time that you’re able to get another one due to insurance or the fact that they don’t want to keep giving you steroid. I would tell you to go ahead and try it. If you don’t have a lot of choices left, you’ll try just about anything. I also do some aqua exercises that I learned at aqua therapy. I have routine massages, and the only thing I have not done yet which I would like to try is acupuncture. I wish you luck to feeling better.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsI had this procedure at 70 and again at 80. It did not help. I have a 345 fusion stenosis and bulging discs. I also have spondololisthisis an SSD slight scoliosis
It might be worth a try if you have fewer issues, plus being younger. It was not painful
I'll have had 30 epidurals in 10 years. I would not do that again
I had a medial branch block in my thoracic spine a couple of years ago at T8/T9. Did nothing. Next week doctor repeated it at T9/T10. I had no pain for 32 hours. Doctor said that told him exactly where to do the RF ablation (T10/T11). I was pain free in that area for about 5 months, but just below it (T12) was even more painful afterwards. My current pain management doctor is going to ablate T10/T11/T12 in June. These ablations work for approximately 6 months. Best wishes to you. Let us know if you have the block and/or ablation, and how it went.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionThanks!
I have had a fusion of L5/S1 as well as numerous epidural injections in 2007 - 2010.
Today I walk bent over after only walking a short distance.
I have a balance problem and have fallen a number of times. I walk with a cane.
I was diagnosed by a neurosurgeon in 2007, before the fusion with spondylolisthesis…
So I’ll at 79 years try the ablation….
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsThanks for sharing this. It’s a very difficult decision to say yes to surgery but all three of my neurologists have said to throw away the pamphlets on neuro-stimulators.. and replacement discs are not an option.
I have an appointment at Scottsdale clinic for a consultation on the 6th of June, but I’m only 1/2 hour from the neurosurgeon in Reno and scheduled a noninvasive decompression for April. Have had a laminectomy 6 years ago