Radiofrequency Ablation May Help Thyroid Cancer Patients

Radiofrequency ablation, or RFA, is one of the many alternative treatments offered by “Top Doc” Dr. Nikesh Seth at Integrated Pain Consultants. The minimally invasive treatment uses electrical currents from radio waves to heat nerve tissue, which in turn minimizes pain signals from that area. The quick 3o-minute treatment only requires local anesthetic or mild sedation and provides longer pain relief when compared to steroids. Patients also enjoy more range of motion and less need for pain medication. On average, patients are pain-free for 6 – 12 months after treatment, but some report that RFA lasts up to two years.

A Pain-Free Sigh of Relief

RFA can be an effective pain management tool for a number of injuries and can even help manage pain for thyroid cancer patients. The treatment was discussed at the Annual Meeting of the American Thyroid Association, which considered studies between 2006 – 2015 that suggested RFA was beneficial to pain management for these patients. The ideal thyroid cancer patient for RFA therapy has a nodule but a normal thyroid.

Ultimately, it has been found that RFA with thyroid cancer patients results in restored thyroid function. Sometimes, RFA has even allowed these patients to avoid surgery completely. The ideal patient will also be available for regular follow-up appointments. It has been suggested by researchers analyzing these studies that RFA interrupts the cancer growth’s pathological trajectory, which allows the nodule to be treated at the best possible time.

Patients may still require surgery, but RFA still offers benefits. Radiofrequency ablation can decrease the symptoms of the cancer, which increases a person’s quality of life even as they continue with other forms of cancer treatment. Whether or not RFA is beneficial to those with malignant papillary thyroid cancer still requires more research.

Schedule Your RFA Consultation Today

Treating cancer often requires a team of experts and should certainly include a pain management clinic. No matter what kind of pain you have or the source, RFA therapy might be an excellent option for decreasing symptoms. Schedule a detailed evaluation in Scottsdale by booking your appointment with Integrated Pain Consultants online now.