The Effectiveness of Pulsed Radiofrequency on Joint Pain: A Narrative Review

Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) stimulation has been safely and effectively applied for controlling various types of pain.

We reviewed the literature on the efficacy of PRF for controlling pain in joint disorders.

We searched PubMed for papers published prior to September 7, 2019, that used PRF to treat pain due to joint disorders. The key search phrases for identifying potentially relevant articles were (PRF AND joint) OR (PRF AND arthritis) OR (PRF AND arthropathy). The following inclusion criteria were applied for the selection of articles: (1) patients' pain was caused by joint disorders; (2) PRF stimulation was applied to manage joint-origin pain; and (3) after PRF stimulation, follow-up evaluation was performed to assess the reduction in pain intensity. Moreover, joints with more than 3 reported PRF studies were included in our review.

The primary literature search yielded 141 relevant papers. After reading their titles and abstracts and assessing their eligibility based on the full-text articles, we finally included 34 publications in this review. Based on the positive therapeutic outcomes of previous studies, PRF stimulation seems to be an effective treatment for cervical and lumbar facet, sacroiliac, knee, and glenohumeral joint pain. PRF appears to be beneficial. For confirmation of the effectiveness of PRF on joint pain, more high-quality studies are needed.

Our review provides insights on the degree of evidence according to pain in each joint, which will help clinicians make informed decisions for using PRF stimulation in various joint pain conditions.