If you have back pain, youre not alone. Eight out of 10 people will suffer from it at some time in their lives, according to the National Institutes of Health. But while strains and injuries are common culprits for temporary discomfort, arthritis of the spines facet joints is often responsible for chronic pain. Moreover, if arthritis is the source of your back pain, you might find that medicine and physical therapy bring you no relief. If thats the case, you might be a candidate for radiofrequency ablation. "This isnt a procedure for someone who has minor aches and pains in their back. Its for patients with significant amounts of daily chronic pain," says Adrian Mark Zachary, DO, MPH, a staff physician in Cleveland Clinics Center for Spine Health.
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