Summary
A patient with facet joint pain underwent the Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® at Deuk Spine Institute about three weeks before this interview. Before the procedure, he could walk only 20 to 30 minutes before needing to sit. At his follow-up, his sharp pain, tenderness and inflammation were gone, his range of motion had improved, and he could stay on his feet for a couple of hours without pain. He also lost 20 pounds within two weeks of the procedure, which he attributes to being more active and to reduced inflammation. He had left another provider’s office before finding Deuk Spine through a co-worker, and said he has done nothing but get better since.
Transcript
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: I’m here with a patient who suffered with facet joint pain. Facet joint pain is the second most common cause of back pain. It also happens in the neck, and it’s the second most common cause of neck pain. The first cause of back and neck pain is a herniated disc, but patients with herniated discs frequently have injuries to their facet joints next to the disc. This patient underwent the Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® about three weeks ago for facet joint pain. How are you feeling today?
Patient: I feel great. I have much better range of motion. My inflammation has gone, the pain and tenderness are gone. I feel like I have my life back.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: A lot of patients end up getting something called a radiofrequency ablation, or RFA. The problem with that procedure is that the doctor navigates the needle tip to a certain spot, but if the nerve that’s causing pain isn’t where the needle tip ends up, then patients aren’t going to get very good relief. And the problem with RFA, you hear it all the time, is that the pain always comes back, usually within a few weeks or a few months. But the Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® is a completely different technique. We’re able to move around the spine where the nerve is and make sure we get all the areas that the nerve could be, and deaden those nerves, so that pain is gone. Now the sharp pain, it’s completely gone?
Patient: Yeah, it’s completely gone.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Congratulations.
Patient: Prior to the procedure, I could only walk maybe 20, maybe 30 minutes before I’d have to sit down and take a break. Now I can be on my feet for a couple hours and I don’t have any pain at all.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: They also mentioned that you’ve lost some weight as a result of getting your back fixed. Tell me about that.
Patient: Well, within two weeks of the procedure I lost 20 pounds almost immediately, just by being more active. I believe my body was also very inflamed, holding on to a lot of water weight and a lot of inflammation. So my muscles are able to relax and, as far as I can tell, release all of that inflammation in the body.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Congratulations, that’s been a great procedure. Anything else you want to say to your audience?
Patient: Anybody who has back pain: I know of other people, friends and family, who have had back pain and they’ve gone to other providers and haven’t had good results, or worsened the problem they had. I myself went to a different doctor before I came here. I left their office for various reasons and found this place actually through one of my co-workers. I’m glad that I came here, because ever since I came here I’ve done nothing but get better.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Congratulations. A great year for you, 2023.
Patient: I hope so.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: All right, thank you for sharing your story.
Patient: You’re welcome.
Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® at Deuk Spine Institute
This patient underwent the Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® at Deuk Spine Institute for facet joint pain, the second most common cause of back and neck pain. Unlike radiofrequency ablation, where a needle may miss the pain nerve and relief often fades within weeks or months, the Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® lets the surgeon work around the spine to reach every area where the nerve could be and deaden it. Three weeks later, the patient was free of sharp pain and tenderness, had better range of motion, and could stay on his feet for hours. Patients with facet joint pain can submit their MRI for a complimentary MRI review and virtual consultation with Dr. Deukmedjian.