Does anyone have experience with nerve ablation as a form of pain management?

My Pain Intervention Neurologist suggests that nerve ablation might help with my occipital neuralgia. I have tried it before but it was unsuccessful and recovery was long and painful. I have a new doctor and it has been more than 10 years since I last tried it.

Was my past experience a fluke or has it worked for others?

So no one has experience with this procedure?

I ended up trying facet injections at C2, C3, C4. That did not work either. The doc has suggested a temporary implanted wire attached to a tens like unit. The wire remains in place for 60 days, then it is removed. if it helps at all the relief will last up to 6 months. I guess it is part of the differential diagnosis process. He also asked me if I have had an arteriogram. AFAIK the answer is no.

Hello my friend,

I have my c2-3 / c4-5 / c6-7 and T12 -L1 all fused due to a bone disease called Osteomalacia. My bone density started to deteriorate when I was 44. The fusions were the remedy for the bone simply not able to contain the disc. One was an emergency, one was a near emergency and then the other two were prophylactic. Before the final diagnosis, about 7 years in finding, you can imagine I had about everything done to mitigate pain, mri’s x “hundred?” Steroid shots done under fluoroscope, and creative use of a tens unit. The procedure was done as an outpatient but only under the semi sedation they gov for colonoscopy. The neurosurgeon needed to know when it caused almost a paralyzing pain. He implanted the wire in the general area of the disc on the anterior of course. General area at this level is in micrometer. so then I went into the out patient area 2x for 2-3 hours tens. remember this was 19 years ago…and you have a different but very similar need of pain mitigation. My neurologist told the doct they had me see at the Mayo Clinic after the implant and I think he was extremely negative and 24 hours later had reached me on a business trip (I was in a pretty responsible position with 38-42 in my group and had to travel often… high motivated with two in college and two in the wings). So they pulled out the wire. One exterior connection wire that was spliced under the skin and placed in 4 different locations-again all within a couple inches as my c6-7 was fused. So with my issue it seemed obvious but the micro vibe or whatever from the tens was promoting the bone density deterioration. So I stayed on big doses of gabapentin and OxyContin/oxycodone for time release. Even taking a 60 mg time release and sticking 3-4 10mg instant release, it was hell until I finally had to retire. We had our act together for the kids and our baby a the last went through our state university which was a ”deal “ vs out of state or private. So that was my experience. This is not the greatest place to recall everything but if you would like, I’ll call my wife- we are still close— and see if she can remember anything else. Good luck my friend, I will say a praye. this ain’t easy shit. Jaime

You need a proper diagnosis . on the other hand there have many new developments in pain control I am seeing a pain clinic about an hour’s drive and that is number one in my books

I also am near the best patient,I feel for you. I know about how people suffer

Thanks @Jaime and @superego for your responses. The doc I am seeing says he considers this a step in the differential diagnosis process. About 20 years ago a neurosurgeon fused C6-C7. He said he couldn’t reach C7-T1 or he would have fused it too. It didn’t help with the pain.

Unfortunately, that fusion destabilized C5-C6. 15 years ago I got a series of epidural steroid injections that really helped a lot. Each injection lasted 3-4 months. However, my insurance company balked at getting that treatment after 6 injections. Then came the nerve ablation. It was awful and didn’t help.

Now the ESI’s can‘t be done because the foraminal space at C5-C6 is compromised and the spinal cord is slightly disfigured. I have clonus sign in both feet. But the head pain is the worst.

There is some damage at C4-C5, C3-C4, and C2-C3 but they think those levels are stable.

The new doc I am seeing thinks it could be a brain issue and asked if I have ever had an arteriogram. I’ve had plenty of MRI’s and at least one cat scan. I gave up looking for relief for 10 years ago and just started in again. It is so frustrating.

An update. Waiting for authorization for a temporary nerve stimulator. This device has an implanted wire, in my case wires. They will be placed by the occipital nerves near C2-C3 I think. The external controller attaches to the implanted wire where it breaks through the skin near the nape of the neck. Once placed it is kept in place for 60 days.

Apparently, many who have tried this device get relief for up to 6 months once it is removed. The doc said that if it does work a permanent implanted controller and wires is an option.

I had to pass a psychological evaluation performed by an LCSW. Just to make sure I had realistic expectations and that I wasn’t off kilter I guess.

Just waiting for authorization…

Authorization came through pretty fast. Then there was a surgery cancellation that opened a slot for me and I had the surgery last week. I was pretty sore and groggy but I am feeling much better now. It’s still too soon to tell if I have reduced occipital neuralgia pain courtesy of the stimulator of if it is from 6 days of taking it easy.

If anyone is interested the stimulator is from a company named Sprint. It is called the Sprint PNS System. I think it is working. So far I have not had pain while coughing, sneezing, laughing or bending over. She who must be obeyed has to change the bandage on my back. It covers the space where the implanted stimulator wires come out of the skin and connect via two posts, one for each wire, to cables. A waterproof bandage covers this with only the cables extending out from under the bandage. The control unit mounts on a large tens style pad that sticks to my chest. There is a wireless remote to control the control unit. A cable from the control unit connects to the cable on my back via a magnetic coupling. The wires come out June 30th. I remain cautiously optimistic.