Low back pain that lasts longer than three months is considered chronic. It is often linked to arthritis and inflammation in the small facet joints of the spine or the sacroiliac (SI) joints, where the spine meets the pelvis.
Chronic back pain can make everyday activities like getting out of bed, bending to tie your shoes, standing at the kitchen sink, or sitting through a long drive difficult.
Pain that lasts three months or longer
A stiff back that is slow to loosen up
Bending, lifting, and twisting become harder
Back pain can make simple activities harder
01
Healthy discs and smooth joint cartilage let the spine bend and twist with ease.
02
With age and strain, discs lose height and the cartilage in the spine’s joints wears down.
03
The joints may become inflamed, and abnormal new blood vessels can form around them.
04
Ongoing inflammation keeps pain signals active, making bending, sitting, and sleep harder.
A dull, constant ache across the lower back.
Stiffness when getting out of bed or standing up.
Pain with bending, lifting, or twisting.
Pain that builds after long periods of sitting or standing.
Discomfort that spreads into the buttock or hip.
Pain that makes it hard to get comfortable at night.
No. Embolization does not rebuild discs, regrow cartilage, or reverse arthritis in the spine. Its purpose is to reduce abnormal blood flow associated with inflammation, which may help reduce pain and improve function even though the underlying structural changes remain.
Published studies have mainly evaluated chronic low back pain coming from the facet joints or sacroiliac (SI) joints that has not improved after at least three months of conservative care. It is not a treatment for pain caused by a pinched nerve, such as a herniated disc pressing on a nerve, or for fractures, infection, or tumors. A complete evaluation, including imaging, is needed to confirm what is actually causing your pain.
Steroid injections deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly into or around the joint. Radiofrequency nerve ablation uses heat to interrupt the nerves that carry pain signals. Arterial embolization works through the blood vessels, reducing abnormal vascularity associated with chronic inflammation. None of these treatments repairs worn discs or cartilage.
The arterial access area is numbed before treatment. Patients may feel a brief pinch or pressure during access, but significant discomfort is not expected during the catheter-based procedure.
The procedure does not remove or reconstruct any part of the spine, so it generally does not prevent future spine treatment or surgery if it becomes necessary.
Results vary. Published studies have reported improvements developing over the weeks and months following treatment rather than immediately.
Back embolization is an emerging treatment. A small published pilot study of 14 patients with chronic low back pain reported meaningful improvement in pain and function in most patients at three months and in just over half at two years, with no major complications. The evidence base is still small, and larger randomized trials are needed.
Coverage can vary by insurer, diagnosis, and medical-necessity requirements because back embolization is still an emerging treatment. HVLC should verify benefits and authorization requirements before treatment is scheduled.
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