Vertebrogenic Pain Relief: How the Intercept Procedure Targets the Basivertebral Nerve

When disc and joint treatments don’t solve your back pain, the problem might be coming from inside the vertebrae themselves. Your spine bones have their own nerve networks that can start causing chronic pain when they get inflamed.

At Advanced Pain Management Center in Portland, Oregon, interventional pain management specialist Vladimir Fiks, MD, uses the Intercept® procedure to treat vertebrogenic pain by targeting the specific nerve pathways within vertebral bones.

Inflamed bone surfaces generate persistent pain

The flat spots where your vertebrae meet discs have many pain-sensing nerve endings. When your discs wear down, these bone surfaces develop even more nerves, creating a deep aching pain that feels like it’s coming from inside the bone itself.

Your vertebrae have a nerve called the basivertebral nerve running through them that carries pain signals straight to your brain. Dr. Fiks can spot this on your MRI when he sees bright areas on the bone surfaces, which means those areas are inflamed and sending extra pain signals.

Who benefits most from basivertebral nerve ablation

You’re likely a good candidate for the Intercept procedure if:

• You have chronic low back pain lasting at least six months
• Conservative treatments haven’t provided adequate relief
• An MRI shows vertebrogenic endplate changes 
• Clinical findings match vertebrogenic pain patterns

Dr. Fiks evaluates these factors along with your symptoms to determine if you’re a candidate. Medicare and many insurance plans cover the procedure when you meet these requirements. The permanent nature of nerve ablation means most patients don’t need repeat procedures, unlike many other pain treatments that require ongoing maintenance.

How the procedure works inside your vertebrae

The Intercept procedure takes a direct approach to vertebrogenic pain by accessing the basivertebral nerve complex within the vertebral body itself. Here’s how it works:

Precise nerve targeting

The Intercept procedure uses radiofrequency energy delivered directly into the vertebral body to heat and disable the basivertebral nerve. This addresses the pain source at its source within the bone structure rather than trying to block pain signals after they’ve been generated.

Outpatient treatment process

We perform this procedure under intravenous (IV) sedation, taking 40-80 minutes depending on how many vertebral levels need treatment. The radiofrequency probe reaches the basivertebral nerve using real-time imaging to ensure accurate placement.

Recovery expectations

Most patients recover fully within 1-2 weeks. There’s no bed rest requirement. You modify activities based on how you feel rather than following strict restrictions.

Find out if your bone pain needs specialized treatment

If your low back pain persists despite other treatments and worsens with sitting, bending, or lifting, vertebrogenic pain could be the underlying cause. Dr. Fiks can evaluate your symptoms and MRI findings to determine whether the Intercept procedure might provide the lasting relief you’ve been seeking.

Call Advanced Pain Management Center in Portland today or schedule a consultation online. Dr. Fiks will assess whether your chronic back pain stems from vertebrogenic sources that could respond to basivertebral nerve ablation.