There are a lot of people who suffer, from chronic pain and conventional treatments don’t’ work.
But there is new hope, for sufferers that stops the pain at its source.
Susan Benson says she’s in pain all the time.
“It’s taken over my life basically. I don’t get to do the things I used to love to do,” she said.
Susan said because of chronic low back pain she gave up hope of ever feeling normal until she met Dr. Standiford Helm and learned about a new procedure that he says would reduce the pain by actually burning the nerves that cause the pain.
“Because by burning the nerves, she can no longer feel pain from the joint and the pain isn’t there,” Helm said.
Here’s how it’s done.
Using x-rays for guidance Helm inserts this device called “coolief” right into the painful area then turns it on using radio waves to destroy the nerves without affecting other tissue.
“What the ‘coolief’ does that’s unique is by cooling the tissues around the tip of the probe it prevents a charring from occurring,” he said.
The procedure takes less than an hour and requires no cutting.
Susan said she was improved just a week after her procedure.
James Rada, who had his first treatment several months ago, had a much more dramatic result.
Dependent on a walker after an undiagnosed back injury he was in constant life-limiting pain.
“Pain was the worst pain I have ever known in my life,” he said.
Until the new procedure changed everything within hours
“The pain dropped down to just an obnoxious little irritation. No pain,” Rada said.
Doctors say the procedure may only provide temporary pain relief, because the nerves may grow back.