Study Questions Effectiveness of Radio Wave Treatment for Low Back Pain

Treatment of chronic low back pain with radiofrequency denervation resulted in either no improvement or no clinically important improvement in three randomized trials, according to a study scheduled for publication today in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association. Radiofrequency denervation is a procedure that can be performed with different techniques including the application of an electric current to the nerve. The idea is to disrupt the nerve’s function so that it can no longer transmit pain signals. Radiofrequency denervation is a commonly used treatment for low...