Rhizotomy in Houston
The nervous system acts as the communications network for the body. Signals relayed from the brain to the nerve endings enable you to feel textures, heat, and cold, while pain signals warn you when your body is in some sort of danger. Unfortunately, certain chronic conditions can cause severe, unremitting pain that offers no benefit at all. If you suffer from debilitating nerve pain, you may want to consider undergoing a rhizotomy in Houston.
What Is Rhizotomy?
Rhizotomy literally means “root incision.” This type of procedure involves the intentional injury to nerves at their roots. Major nerve roots extend from the spinal cord, where they branch out into all the smaller nerves that serve the body. By disrupting communications between a nerve and its corresponding root, a surgeon can put an immediate end to troublesome nerve pain.
Because nerves heal extremely slowly, the relief achieved by rhizotomy can last for years at a time. Even after the nerve has managed to reconnect itself completely, you can have the procedure repeated to maintain your comfort and quality of life.
What Does Rhizotomy Treat?
Rhizotomy can prove highly effective as a treatment for many chronic nerve pain disorders. Examples include:
Spinal disorders – Fact joint arthritis, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and bone spurs in the back or neck can all press against nerve roots, causing severe pain. Spinal rhizotomy treats this pain by cutting off the flow of pain signals to the nerve suffering from impingement.- Trigeminal neuralgia – In this disorder, a major nerve called the trigeminal nerve sends debilitating pain signals from cervical spinal nerve roots to the face, jaw, and/or head. Spine rhizotomy that deadens the nerve near the base of the skull can ease this pain.
- Muscle spasticity – Conditions such as cerebral palsy can cause muscles to go into uncontrollable spasms. A procedure called selective dorsal rhizotomy can stop muscle spasticity. The surgeon cuts the connection between nerve roots in the lower back and the muscles they activate.
- Arthritis – Severe arthritis in a joint can leave you with disabling hip and/or knee pain. By severing the nerve root that relays pain to these regions, rhizotomy can provide more effective pain relief than painkilling drugs.
What to Expect From Your Rhizotomy Procedure
When you undergo rhizotomy in Houston, you can expect the entire procedure to take less than an hour. You’ll receive intravenous sedation to keep you calm, while the procedure itself should eliminate or minimize any discomfort. You can go home after the procedure, although the lingering effects of the sedative will require you to recruit someone to drive you home.
A procedure can take a few different forms. Your surgeon may administer any of the following options:
- Endoscopic rhizotomy – In this procedure, the surgeon uses a camera-equipped tube called an endoscope to reach the nerve root. Tiny surgical instruments then sever the nerve causing trouble.
- Radiofrequency rhizotomy – This variation involves the placement of an electrode that burns the nerve with radiofrequency energy.
- Glycerol rhizotomy – In this form, an alcohol called glycerol is injected into the nerve, destroying a small portion of it.
You may have some temporary swelling, soreness, or bruising following your rhizotomy. Although you should be able to return to your usual routine within a day or so, your surgeon will most likely advise against bathing or swimming until the injection or incision site has healed.
Let NW Surgery Help You
When you seek serious pain relief, come to the pain relief experts. NW Surgery has decades of experience in easing discomfort and improving function through a wide range of services. In addition to rhizotomy, we offer ketamine therapy for severe pain that resists other kinds of medication. Our skilled surgical team can also repair many kinds of painful orthopedic injuries and degenerative damage.
NW Surgery has built a solid reputation as Houston’s leading outpatient surgery clinic. We do this by emphasizing personalized care for each and every patient and offering the greatest possible access to care. We accept many kinds of health insurance, including Medicare, workers’ comp, and private insurance. But we also accept cash-based payments if you don’t have insurance.
Get Real Relief for Your Stubborn Nerve Pain
Just as nerve pain can ruin your life, a skillfully-performed rhizotomy in Houston can give your life back to you. Contact us today to request a connection to a world-class pain management specialist.
