Benefits and risks

Information for the public

When NICE looked at the evidence, it decided that there was not much good evidence about how well this procedure works. The 9 studies that NICE looked at involved a total of 285 patients.

Generally, they showed the following benefits:

Pain relief in some patients, lasting up to 12 months after the procedure.
Less disability caused by back pain, when measured between 1 and 6 months after the procedure.
In a study of 8 patients, all stopped their usual pain medication after the procedure.

The studies showed that the risks of percutaneous intradiscal radiofrequency treatment of the intervertebral disc nucleus for low back pain included:

Flare‑ups of pain, lasting up to 6 weeks.
Slipped disc in 5% of patients, but it wasn't clear whether this was linked to the procedure.

NICE was also told about some other possible risks: damage to the tissues or blood vessels, infection in the space between the vertebrae.

If you want to know more about the studies, see the guidance. Ask your health professional to explain anything you don't understand.