IntraDiscal Electrothermal Therapy
Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints for pain, and when it involves the lumbar disc, a treatment option that is known as an intradiscal electrothermal therapy may be considered. This treatment may help to reduce the pain that you are experiencing in your lower back and it is a relatively simple procedure that is usually accomplished in approximately 20 minutes.
During this procedure, you will be given a local anesthetic and sedated, after which an electrothermal catheter will be guided to the area that is experiencing problems. After the needle has been inserted into the lumbar disc, power is turned on to the electrothermal catheter, heating the disk for approximately 20 minutes. As a result of heating the disc, it can deaden the pain receptors that are located on the outside of the disc, helping to reduce the transmission of pain to the brain.