Intracept by Relievant
Chronic back pain is a common complaint among adults. It can range from a mild ache to a disabling, constant, stabbing pain. The pain often comes and goes and can be exacerbated by certain movements or positions. It can also radiate into the arms and legs and affect sleep.
Chronic back pain often keeps people from performing activities they once enjoyed. Most people try to manage their condition with medication, physical therapy, or a combination of the two. When other treatments are no longer effective, Intracept® by Relievant can provide relief.
North Shore Headache and Spine is an advanced pain management practice seeking integrative and regenerative solutions for long-lasting pain relief. Led by Frank Ocasio, MD, who is board-certified in interventional pain management and anesthesiology, North Shore Headache and Spine offers Intracept as a treatment for chronic back pain. Dr. Ocasio was the first physician to perform the Intracept procedure at Huntington Hospital, where he is the chair of pain management.
What Is intracept?
Intracept is a minimally-invasive alternative to surgical procedures to treat chronic back pain. The method can successfully reduce vertebrogenic pain by targeting the vertebrae nerve called the basivertebral. This innovative solution can stop pain where it starts to result in longer-lasting pain relief compared to other therapies like medications and steroid injections.
Why do I have low back pain?
New research into back pain has shed light on the true source of pain—and it isn’t the discs. The long-standing belief is that much of the lower back pain patients experience begins with discs, the rubbery cushions between each bone in the spine. Pain in the discs can result from an injury, bulge or slip, or the natural aging process, all of which can cause excruciating pain. Although disc pain is still a relevant factor in lower back pain, it is now thought to have a deeper connection with the bone. Where the spine bones and discs meet, injury or wear and tear can cause increased pain on the bone’s surface. Intracept was created based on new research that indicated lower back pain originates in the bone rather than the discs.
How does Intracept work on low back pain?
Based on new research about lower back pain, Intracept was created to target vertebrogenic pain, a specific type of bone pain. Intracept treats the basivertebral nerve, the main nerve in the spine bones. A small probe targets the bone and creates energy to ablate the nerve and disconnect the receptors from sending pain signals. The procedure is completed in four steps:
1
Locate the Vertebrae:
A sharp tool is inserted through an incision into the vertebrae.
2
Create a Pathway:
A unique curved tool creates a path to the base of the basivertebral nerve.
3
The Radiofrequency Probe:
An RF probe is inserted along the path and placed at the basivertebral nerve.
4
Ablation:
The RF probe uses heat to destroy the nerve, making it unable to send pain signals.
The procedure takes approximately one to two hours to complete. Intracept is a new and innovative treatment that requires precision and experience. Dr. Ocasio is a highly specialized physician with more than 15 years of experience in headache, spine, and pain management. He also has experience performing this procedure and can walk patients through the process and expectations.
Benefits of Intracept
Older methods and procedures for treating chronic low back pain are typically ineffective and extensive. Surgery is a massive commitment with no guarantee of success but is no longer the only option for lower back pain. With the advanced technology available today, more straightforward and effective options are available to reduce chronic pain. Intracept is a highly effective option that can minimize debilitating pain when other treatments have not made an impact. There are many benefits to using Intracept by Relievant, including:
- Proven, durable relief for chronic low back pain
- Minimally invasive outpatient procedure
- Targets the origin of pain, the basivertebral nerve
- Implant-free, preserves future treatment options
- Ideal for patients who have not responded to other therapies
How Soon Will I See the Benefits of Intracept?
Results vary by patient and can depend on the severity of the condition. Most patients feel results within 2-6 weeks after one injection, and more severe injuries or conditions can take up to one month to feel pain relief. Although the healing process begins within 24 hours after an injection, it can take time to make a noticeable difference.
What outcome can I expect?
Relievant Medsystems, the creator of Intracept, sponsored clinical trials with more than 400 participants to showcase the safety and efficacy of the treatment. The trials found that conditions improved an average of 53% within 24 months after the procedure.
Patients can expect to feel tender around the treatment area, but recovery is minimal, with rest needed for a day or two after the procedure. Most patients can slowly reintroduce normal daily activities within one week, being mindful of strenuous activity and heavy lifting.
Schedule an Intracept appointment today
North Shore Headache and Spine is a leader in pain management and offers many treatments and procedure options for lower back pain. Contact us to schedule a consultation and learn more about Intracept.
Why Choose North Shore Headache and Spine?
1
INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS &
REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
With our in-office diagnostic imaging, dozens of innovative treatments, and full regenerative medicine service offerings, we are able to examine, diagnose, and treat patients experiencing chronic pain all under one roof.
2
Long-Term
Integrative Philosophy
Instead of masking symptoms with a quick-fix approach, we focus on every lifestyle aspect to determine the root causes of pain and develop non-narcotic solutions.
3
Deeply-Committed
Relationships
Our team values each and every one of our patients. We understand the toll that chronic pain takes on your physical and mental health, and we’re committed to listening to your concerns and creating the right treatent plan for you.
Pain Management Treatment Options
North Shore Headache and Spine offers the latest modalities for pain treatment, including, but not limited to:
PRP
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) utilizes your body’s natural healing abilities to repair hard and soft tissue damage. PRP concentrates parts of your blood that contain healing growth factors. By running your blood through a centrifuge, we can isolate these restorative substances and inject it back into your tissues to promote healing.
Cellular therapy
Adding mesenchymal stem cells to your regenerative treatment can accelerate your recovery. Dr. Ocasio removes these stem cells directly from your own bone marrow and injects them back into your body along with bone marrow centrate which is rich in growth factors and cytokines that can help reduce inflammation and aid in regeneration.
Central and Peripheral Stimulation
Central and peripheral nerve stimulation involves using electric devices to disrupt pain signals from damaged nerves.
RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION AND CRYONEUROLYSIS
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a pain management treatment that uses heat to destroy tissue and prevent pain signals from being sent to the brain. Cryoneurolysis is a nerve-blocking technology to help reduce chronic pain due to nerve damage.
Nerve Blocks
A nerve block delivers a combination of medication and an anesthetic directly into the space surrounding a damaged nerve to quickly relieve pain.
Epidural Blood Patch
An epidural blood patch treatment involves drawing the patient’s blood and re-injecting it into the epidural space to “patch” the tear or leak in the dura of the spine.
Epidural, Steroid, and Trigger Point Injections
Steroid injections, including epidurals and trigger point injections, introduce anti-inflammatory medications into your area of pain to simultaneously alleviate chronic pain and treat inflammation.