Epidural Injections vs. Radiofrequency Ablation: Which Provides Longer Pain Relief?

Chronic pain is a constant battle, and so is the search for relief. 

When over-the-counter medications aren’t working, and prescriptions aren’t helping either, you need next-level pain relief.

Our board-certified interventional pain specialists, Dr. Raul Lopez, Dr. William Lian, and Dr.  Kendrick Thomas, at the West Texas Pain Institute in El Paso offer two effective treatments that can stop chronic pain in its tracks — epidural steroid injections and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). But which one provides longer-lasting pain relief?

Keep reading as our experts explain when and why we use these two treatments and what you can expect regarding longevity.

Epidural injections

Epidural injections are shots of corticosteroids and anesthetics directed into the epidural space surrounding your spinal cord and nerves. The injected medication reduces inflammation and numbs pain signals, providing temporary relief from conditions like herniated discs, sciatica, and spinal stenosis.

How epidural injections work

When we inject the corticosteroid medication, it bathes your inflamed nerve roots, reducing swelling and pressure. The anesthetic in the shot provides immediate but short-term pain relief, and the corticosteroid has a more prolonged effect. 

The goal is to break the pain cycle, allowing you to participate in physical therapy.

If you have acute or chronic back pain, especially if your nerves are involved, epidural injections can help. 

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)

RFA is a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat to disrupt nerve function. It creates a lesion on the nerve transmitting pain signals and blocks those signals from reaching your brain. We often recommend RFA ablation for chronic neck, back, and joint pain.

How RFA works

During an RFA procedure, Dr. Lopez guides a thin needle to the targeted nerve using live imaging techniques. Once in place, we activate an electrical current generated by a radio wave that heats the nerve tissue, creating a lesion. 

We typically recommend RFA for patients with chronic pain that hasn’t responded well to conservative treatments like physical therapy or medications. If you have facet joint arthritis, sacroiliitis, or neck and back pain, RFA might be the solution.

Epidural steroid injections vs. RFA

While both treatments reduce pain, they work differently and specialize in different conditions. How well and how long they work depends on several variables, but here’s a side-by-side comparison of the two.

Epidural injections

Epidural injections provide significant short-term relief, but it works better if you haven’t been experiencing pain for too long. 

Studies show that three-month-old chronic pain has a 90% chance of relief from an epidural steroid injection, but the duration drops to 70% for a six-month-old chronic pain condition and 50% if you’ve been experiencing symptoms for a year or more.

Epidurals may relieve your chronic pain for 3-6 months or more. However, you may need multiple injections spaced weeks or months apart to achieve the full effect.

Radiofrequency ablation

Radiofrequency ablation helps 70%-80% of patients who try it. The success of RFA largely depends on the precise targeting of the affected nerves and the expertise of the healthcare provider performing the procedure. Our team’s experience and training are crucial here.

RFA may relieve your pain for several months to a year; some patients report even longer results.

Factors influencing success

Several factors influence the success rates of these treatments, including your medical history, the severity of your pain, and the exact location of your pain. We assess your situation and condition before recommending one or the other. 

To learn more about RFA and epidural steroid injections for chronic pain, call the West Texas Pain Institute or request an appointment online.