pain

Nerve Freezing Procedure Offers Alternative Pain Relief

New nerve-freezing procedure offers an alternative for long-term pain relief.

Sharon Basham-Dominguez of Helendale, who has been struggling with knee pain for decades, says it’s "an effort to move day-to-day."

Even a walk along the beach with her grandchildren had proved impossible for the 61-year-old.

"I apologize to the grandkids that gran-gran can’t do nothing today," said Basham-Dominguez.

But Sharon no longer has to apologize for missing family moments. She underwent a unique procedure using a device called iovera that literally froze the nerves responsible for causing pain in the knee.

"It’s so practical and easy to perform, I can do it in my office," said Dr. Vernon Williams of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. "And it doesn’t kill a nerve it just stops it temporarily from sending pain signals."

And that can significantly reduce or eliminate the pain for 3 to 6 months according to Dr. Williams. He said in some cases, the pain relief lasts even longer. And during that time, he works with his patients to fix the structural problems causing the discomfort.

"During the period of time when the nerve is quiet and not sending pain signals, we work really hard at physical therapy," explained Dr. Williams. "We try to improve strength and stability so hopefully when the procedure has worn off there is less pain or no pain."

The device works by using nitrous oxide, laughing gas, to temporarily freeze the nerves in the knee causing the pain. Dr. Williams first identifies the troubled area and then numbs those areas using an ultrasound machine to guide him. He then inserts the iovera probe into each spot and begins the freezing process. It only takes several minutes to complete.

For Basham-Dominguez, the 45-minute process fixed years of suffering.

"It’s been so long since I’ve felt normal but my knees feel great," said Basham-Dominguez.

Dr. Bruce’s Advice –

  • This procedure can help reduce the pain temporarily but it’s not a cure. You need to find out what’s causing the pain and address those issues.
  • Don’t suffer through knee pain. There are a lot of treatments available including knee replacements. You don’t have to live in constant pain.
  • This is a fairly new procedure and it’s not yet covered by insurance so expect to pay around $1,000 per treatment.
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