Whether standing, walking, or squatting, your knees are right there with you, supporting these basic everyday movements. Having arthritis-related knee pain can make these routine activities feel like torture.
Knee arthritis is joint and progressive. Suppose you have ongoing knee pain from your arthritis and are not ready for surgery. In that case, our experienced physical medicine and interventional pain management physician, Dr. Nora Taha, at LiveWell Pain Management in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, has a nonsurgical option for you — COOLIEF* Cooled Radiofrequency Treatment.
COOLIEF* is a minimally invasive pain treatment that deactivates the nerves causing your pain, providing relief for up to 24 months.
In this month’s blog, we want to talk about COOLIEF* and how it can help ease your arthritis-related knee pain.
COOLIEF* is a minimally invasive procedure that eases chronic pain conditions by stopping the pain signals that go to the brain at the source — the sensory nerve. It’s a radiofrequency ablation system that uses water-cooled technology to ablate (heat and destroy) the nerve.
Radiofrequency ablation is a pain management procedure that uses various forms of energy to deactivate sensory nerves. Traditional radiofrequency energy uses heat to damage the nerves, so they stop transmitting messages. The probe for conventional radiofrequency ablation is placed next to the nerve to prevent overheating of the nearby tissue. Unfortunately, the treatment may not completely deactivate the nerve because it only ablates one side.
COOLIEF uses water-cooled technology for radiofrequency ablation. Water-cooling during the ablation procedure prevents tissue overheating, allowing Dr. Taha to treat a larger area, making it a more effective pain-relieving treatment.
COOLIEF* can treat many sources of chronic pain, including your spine, hip, and shoulders.
COOLIEF* is the first FDA-cleared radiofrequency treatment for moderate to severe osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.
OA is a degenerative form of arthritis that causes knee pain due to the gradual wearing away of the cartilage that separates your bones in the joint. It’s the most common type of arthritis and a leading cause of disability.
COOLIEF* radiofrequency ablation is a nonsurgical, nonopioid treatment for knee osteoarthritis. We also offer this treatment for knee pain following knee replacement surgery.
You might experience some pain and inflammation in the treatment area immediately following your COOLIEF* procedure. We recommend using ice and over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications to reduce these temporary side effects.
You may experience improvements in your knee pain within 1-2 weeks after your procedure. Pain relief from COOLIEF* can last up to two years. Many patients report a significant improvement in quality of life following the innovative ablation treatment.
Surgery isn’t your only option for arthritis-related knee pain. COOLIEF* can help you get long-term relief without an invasive procedure or hospital stay.
Do you want to learn more about COOLIEF*? Call our office today or request an appointment online to schedule a consultation with Dr. Taha.
