MY DAY IN THE NUFFIELD BRIGHTON HOSPITAL FOR MY BILATERAL SACROILIAC JOINTS RADIO FREQUENCY ABLATION…

On Friday I went to the Nuffield Brighton Hospital to have Radiofrequency Ablation procedure. I was having this treatment for my bilateral sacroiliac joint pain which I have been suffering from lately.

I went into this hospital last December under the care of a very caring and compassionate consultant Mr Rafid Al-Mahfoudh. During that visit, I had some steroid injections into my sacroiliac joints for pain relief and for diagnostic reasons to see if it was these joints that were giving me all my pain.

It was a total success and I had the best pain-free Christmas I have had for years and years. Unfortunately, the pain came back with a vengeance and so I started a Physiotherapy Program to build my core in the hope it would help with the pain. Whatever we did just seemed to aggravate the pain so we decided the best route was to go back to see my consultant discuss the Radiofrequency Ablation procedure we had talked about before.

The Nuffield Hospital in, Brighton is in a beautiful spot with some stunning views. I gave my last stay in this hospital five stars and I would easily give my second stay the same appraisal.

My room had an extensive view which also included the view of the Kestrel nest which has its own channel on TV for patients to watch. The staff were telling me that patients have found watching the birds a real pleasure while they recover.

The whole team who were looking after me were delightful and could not make me feel more comfortable even checking I was completely happy with my position on the bed in the theatre before sending me to sleep. I have had two previous neck fusions so a simple thing of my neck being in an inappropriate position could flare up neck pain.

I soon came around in recovery without any complications and delightful staff looking after me. I was given IV Paracetamol for pain and then sent back to my room.

My light lunch was with me very quickly as they wanted me to eat something so they could give me some more pain medication.

I had a rough couple of hours but once we got the pain in control I was allowed home complete with discharge papers and what to do and not do and what to take and not take and also what to watch out for should I have any problems.

Different people react differently to a Radiofrequency Ablation procedure for low back pain. Many get reduced pain for longer periods of time, typically for more than six months – 2 years. One lady wrote on my FaceBook page that she had 5 years of pain relief.

Anything longer than six weeks for me will be a bonus as I enjoyed my pain-free time over Christmas and with two grandchildren under three and another one due in October I need to be much fitter.

Radiofrequency Ablation is a minimally invasive procedure. It disables and prevents specific nerve branches from transmitting pain signals by heating part of the pain-transmitting nerves with a Radiofrequency needle to create a heat lesion.

The nerve usually regenerates, and the pain may return but you can have the procedure done again. It will depend on the length of time you were pain-free.

I was told the area treated might feel a bit sensitive or sore and that pain may return but this should settle after a few days – two weeks when the pain-free time should hopefully begin.

Spine and Brain, Nuffield Hospital