If you’ve suffered from an ongoing knee injury and are feeling like you’ve tried everything There’s a good chance nobody has ever spoken regarding the genicular nerve but. This tiny but significant nerve pathway is altering the way that knee pain is treated by physicians — and could be the missing link of your recovery.
What Exactly Is the Genicular Nerve?
The genicular nerve is actually a system of tiny sensory nerve branches which surround the joint of knee. The nerves responsible for transmitting pain signals from your hip to the brain. If your knee is injured or inflamed These nerves perform overtime and send continuous pain signals which can make simple tasks like walking up stairs or getting in a chair painful.
There are usually around five or six branches in the genicular nervous system that run through the knee. Focusing on these specific branches is now the core for one of the more successful low-risk pain relief methods that are available today.
Why So Many Knee Pain Patients Feel Stuck
Many millions of people are suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee and post-surgical knee pain or chronic knee pain. The standard treatment approach typically is as follows: Physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs cortisone injections, ultimately, total knee replacement surgeries.
However, here’s the unpleasant reality: not everyone is a good candidate for surgery. Some patients are too old. Other patients have health issues which make surgery extremely risky. A lot of people don’t want to undergo surgery. If you’ve previously had knee replacement surgery and still suffer from pain, possibilities are even more limited.
This is precisely the point where understanding the genicular nerve is life-changing.
Genicular Nerve Block: A Diagnostic Game-Changer
Before any long-term therapy is considered doctors will often do the blocking of the genicular nerve. This is a test injecting local anesthetic around the genicular nerve’s branches. If the block is able to significantly lessen the pain you feel, even temporarily, it is a sign that the nerve genicular is the primary source of discomfort.
Imagine it as an exercise in testing. It’s easy, risk-free, and gives both you and your physician crucial information on whether a nerve-targeted therapy is the best way to go.
The majority of patients who respond to the block that is diagnostic experience immediate relief in a matter of minutes. The sensation of less discomfort, after many months, or years of pain may be a truly emotional experience.
Radiofrequency Ablation of the Genicular Nerve: Long-Term Relief
For patients who react positively to the blockage of nerves The next step is typically an ablation radiofrequency (RFA) of the genicular nerve. The procedure utilizes heat produced through radio waves in order to interrupt the nerve’s capability to transmit pain signals.
The result? Research has consistently shown that the genicular nerve RFA may be a significant source of pain relief over up to an entire year. Sometimes, it can last longer. Patients typically complain of:
- Significant decrease in knee discomfort
- Improvement in capacity to walk, and complete everyday activities
- Lower dependence on pain medications
- Better sleep quality
- Mental well-being and mood improvement
It’s not just about pain management, but also the improvement in quality of life.
Who Is the Right Candidate?
Genicular nerve procedures are usually advised for those who
- Are knees with moderate or severe osteoarthritis
- Aren’t getting any permanent relief from injections or therapy
- Not suitable candidates for knee replacement surgery.
- Already had knee surgery, but am still feeling pain.
- Do you want to delay or elude surgery
If you are in one or these groups, talking about your options with an interventional specialist on the genicular nerve treatment options is worth it.
What to Expect During Recovery
One of the major advantages of Genicular Artery Embolization Treatment is the low downtime. The majority of patients return home on within the next day. Some suffer from mild soreness around the site of injection for a couple of days; however, this usually goes away quickly.
In contrast to surgical healing, which can be a lengthy process that can take from weeks to months, the genicular nerve ablation procedure can allow patients to return to their normal activity within a matter of days. Many call it a turning point, when they began getting back to their normal self.
Taking the First Step Toward Relief
A knee injury doesn’t need to be the sole reason you live your life. It’s possible to treat it with the genicular nerve, which provides a scientifically-validated, minimally invasive route towards real, effective relief – one that thousands of patients have taken.
If the treatment you’re currently taking isn’t working, it could be time to talk to a specialist in pain. One straightforward question. “Am I a candidate for genicular nerve treatment? “
One question can change everything.
Contact an authorized pain management doctor to determine if genicular neuron blocks or ablations are suitable for your particular situation.
