Knee pain is a common complaint that affects millions of Americans. At Diagnostic Pain & Treatment Center in Tomball, Texas, Raka Gohel, MD, provides customized pain management treatments, including radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFTC), which can delay the need for knee surgery or perhaps avoid it altogether. To get expert pain relief for your knee pain, call or schedule an appointment online today.
Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of knee pain. Osteoarthritis develops as the cartilage that covers the ends of your bones in your joints wears away. Without the cushioning cartilage, your bones rub together, creating friction that irritates and inflames your joint, leading to pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Other common causes of knee pain include:
Other issues such as iliotibial (IT) band problems, dislocation, and loose debris in your joint can also contribute to knee pain.
You should make an appointment to talk to Dr. Gohel about your knee pain if it lasts for more than a few days and doesn’t subside with rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain medicine. If your pain interferes with your ability to stand or walk or if you can see an obvious deformity in your joint, make an appointment right away.
Dr. Gohel provides customized treatment plans to address knee pain. She begins with a thorough exam to assess your knee and confirm the injury or condition causing your pain. She may ask you to walk around her office or guide you through some movements to gauge your pain and how it affects your range of motion.
After her assessment, Dr. Gohel creates a treatment plan to relieve your pain and address the issue causing it. Your program is unique to your needs, but it may include any of the following treatments:
In some cases, you may need to have surgery to repair or replace your knee. If you need surgery, Dr. Gohel can also provide post-surgical pain relief services to support your recovery.
RFTC, short for radiofrequency thermocoagulation and also known as knee radiofrequency ablation, is an innovative treatment for chronic knee pain that can delay or eliminate the need for surgery. It’s a two-step outpatient procedure. Dr. Gohel begins by injecting medication to temporarily block the pain signals traveling between your knee and your brain.
Then, she inserts a specialized needle near the genicular nerves in your knee. Dr. Gohel threads a wire through the needle and sends a pulse of radiofrequency energy along the wire and into the nerve. The radiofrequency energy converts to heat, which damages the nerve and stops the pain signals from traveling to your brain. RFTC provides pain relief for six months or more.*
If you have knee pain that’s interfering with your life, call Diagnostic Pain & Treatment Center or schedule a consultation online today.
*Individual results may vary
