Radiofrequency ablation can also treat a larger area compared to steroid injections. Radiofrequency ablation isn’t new — in fact it’s been performed for many years in pain management. What If Radiofrequency Ablation Doesnt Work Tulsa Pain It works by essentially “turning off” the pain signal from that nerve to your brain. Does radiofrequency ablation always work . Medically reviewed by david zelman, md on september 11, 2019. It’s ideal if you’ve already tried injections with no success. This is one of those times in medicine when if we doctors named these devices for what they did, you as a patient would never sign up. Radiofrequency ablation for arthritis pain. There’s always a chance your nerves won’t. How does radiofrequency ablation work? What are the side effects of radiofrequency ablation? Radiofrequency energy ablates (burns) the nerves that are causing the pain. However, radiofrequency ablation works differently for every person. Here are some of ...