Intracept® for Low-Back Pain

At OrthoArizona, interventional pain specialists Dr. Matthew Crooks and Dr. Stuart Rammell strive to deliver exceptional care for our patients and help relieve pain and return them to life without limits. Continuing our commitment, we are proud to offer Intracept for vertebrogenic pain. 

What Is Vertebrogenic Pain?

Vertebrogenic pain is a specific type of chronic lower back pain that results from damage to vertebral endplates. The endplates are tissues that cover both the top and bottom of each vertebral body and separate it from the disc. Everyday wear and tear and disc degeneration can produce stress on the endplates, leading to inflammation and vertebrogenic pain.

Vertebrogenic pain is often described with symptoms of pain in the lower back that is worsened by physical activity, prolonged sitting, bending forward, or bending and lifting. 

The Intracept Procedure

Intracept is a minimally invasive procedure that does not employ the use of any implants and aims to preserve the overall structure of the spine. This is a same-day, outpatient procedure, and patients are put under anesthesia. During the procedure, your doctor targets the pain with a radiofrequency probe that heats the nerve endings and stops them from sending pain signals to the brain.

Most patients who have undergone the Intracept procedure have reported a significant improvement in function and reduced pain after the treatment. Patients also experience results for more than 5 years following the treatment. 

Is Intracept Right for You?

Intracept may be a good treatment If you or a loved one is experiencing the following:

• Chronic low-back pain
• Conservative methods of treatment have been exhausted
• MRI shows features of Modic changes

Intracept like any procedure has risks that should be discussed with your doctor before the treatment. 

To learn more about Intracept or to consult with one of our Intracept doctors, please call (602) 648-5444 or schedule an appointment online.