Millions of people suffer from joint pain, including the more than 50 million US adults who report painful arthritis symptoms. While joint pain can definitely take a toll on your quality of life, the good news is that minimally invasive treatments are available that can help — including a state-of-the-art radiofrequency ablation therapy called COOLIEF®.
COOLIEF uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to treat joint pain and the underlying symptoms that often accompany it. A leading provider of COOLIEF therapy, Zaid Malik, MD, helps patients at Superior Pain Relief find relief for joint pain without invasive surgery or ever-increasing doses of pain medicine.
In this post, we review the basics of COOLIEF, including how it works and what to expect during and after your treatment.
Radiofrequency energy is a type of heat energy routinely used in many types of medical treatments, including pain management. When applied to muscles and tendons, RF energy relieves muscle tension, improves circulation, and stimulates natural healing responses by gently warming injured tissues.
COOLIEF uses radiofrequency energy in a slightly different way, targeting nerves instead of muscles and tendons. Called radiofrequency ablation, this type of RF energy treatment works by causing controlled damage to the nerves involved in pain.
When the nerve tissue absorbs COOLIEF’s heat energy, it injures the tissue, temporarily deadening it so it can’t transmit the nerve signals responsible for pain sensation. The system’s energy delivery is extremely precise and completely customizable based on your needs.
COOLIEF improves on existing ablation technology by providing an additional layer of protection to the nerves and tissues surrounding the treatment area. Specifically, COOLIEF uses water-cooled technology to protect tissues, supporting a broader treatment zone without the concerns of unintended tissue damage.
Broader treatment zones mean you can enjoy enhanced, long-term pain relief while avoiding side effects like inflammation.
Like other RF ablation treatments, COOLIEF is minimally invasive, without incisions, sutures, general anesthesia, or prolonged downtime afterward.
Prior to treatment, we numb the skin in the treatment area to keep you comfortable. Once the local anesthetic takes effect, Dr. Malik inserts a needle-like probe, positioning the probe’s tip near the targeted nerves.
Real-time imaging techniques ensure optimal placement. With the tip in place, Dr. Malik administers tiny bursts of RF energy to ablate the nerve tissue to block pain signal transmission from the nerves. Most treatments take about 30-60 minutes.
You can expect pain relief to kick in within a few days, up to a week, with improvements continuing over time. Initial soreness in the treatment area lasts a day or two, and you can manage them by applying ice and taking over-the-counter pain medicine.
COOLIEF can provide months or even years of pain relief. Best of all, treatment is repeatable, so you can prolong your results and continue to enjoy greater comfort.
To learn more about COOLIEF and other therapies that can help relieve your pain, request an appointment online or over the phone today with Dr. Malik and the team at Superior Pain Relief in Houston, Baytown, Willis, and The Woodlands, Texas.
