Neck and back pain procedures are priced by what each one involves. At YOUNIFY Clinic, a Healthy Aging & Wellness Center based in Bangkok, Thailand, on Silom Road, a diagnostic medial branch block starts from THB 22,000, an epidural steroid injection from THB 129,000, and Cooled RFA from THB 280,000, typically confirmed in a written quotation.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Epidural balloon neuroplasty starts from THB 170,000; facet joint injection and selective nerve root injection are quoted after physician assessment.
- Cooled RFA is considered only after a diagnostic medial branch block has clearly eased your usual pain.
- The block is a separate first step with its own cost, and it helps avoid a larger procedure that is unlikely to help.
- Relief after Cooled RFA is temporary because nerves regrow, so budget over time rather than for one visit.
How much do Cooled RFA and ESI cost in Bangkok?
Cooled RFA starts from THB 280,000 and an epidural steroid injection (ESI) from THB 129,000. These are two of six image-guided, needle-only neck and back procedures that our pain medicine physician performs:
| Procedure | Designed to | Price at YOUNIFY |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic medial branch block (MBB) | Test whether the facet joints cause your pain | Starting from THB 22,000 |
| Cooled radiofrequency ablation (Cooled RFA) | Interrupt facet joint pain signals, after a positive block | Starting from THB 280,000 |
| Epidural steroid injection (ESI) | Calm inflammation around an irritated nerve root | Starting from THB 129,000 |
| Epidural balloon neuroplasty | Help loosen scar tissue around nerves in the epidural space | Starting from THB 170,000 |
| Facet joint injection (steroid or prolotherapy) | Place medicine into a painful facet joint | Quoted after physician assessment |
| Selective nerve root injection | Target one irritated nerve root | Quoted after physician assessment |
The epidural balloon neuroplasty starting price includes a one-day hospital stay and basic blood tests, and most patients can fly home 3 to 5 days after the procedure. After the other five procedures, most patients go home the same day.
Why does a diagnostic block come before Cooled RFA?
Cooled RFA can only help when the facet joints are the true source of pain, and a diagnostic medial branch block checks this first.
Small medial branch nerves carry pain from the facet joints at the back of the spine. Pain can also come from discs, nerve roots, or muscle, and scans alone do not always separate these sources [4]. The pathway therefore follows a set order:
1. Assessment. Our pain medicine physician examines you and reviews your MRI or X-ray report.
2. Diagnostic medial branch block. Under X-ray guidance, local anesthetic is placed beside the medial branch nerves, and you note how your usual pain changes over the next hours.
3. Decision. If your usual pain clearly eases, the block is positive and Cooled RFA may be planned. If not, we look for another source.
Put simply, the block is a test, not a treatment. Read more in why we test with a medial branch block first.
What is Cooled RFA?
Cooled RFA uses a radiofrequency probe with internal water cooling, which lets the physician create a larger treatment zone around the target nerve than conventional RFA at a lower tip temperature. At YOUNIFY, it treats the medial branch nerves of the neck and lower back, image-guided and needle-only, under local anesthetic with or without light sedation. Relief is temporary because nerves regrow, and the procedure can be repeated when it helped. Some clinics offer conventional radiofrequency treatment; at YOUNIFY, the radiofrequency option is Cooled RFA. See Cooled RFA for neck pain.
What does the price of each procedure cover?
A procedure price reflects the care around the needle:
- Physician assessment and imaging review
- Live X-ray guidance (fluoroscopy)
- Our pain medicine physician, nurses, and procedure-room staff
- Single-use materials, including the water-cooled probe system for Cooled RFA
- Monitoring and a follow-up review
Your written quotation states what is included and what may be billed separately, such as new imaging.
Why does the price differ from person to person?
The same procedure name can describe a small or a larger job:
- Number of spinal levels treated
- One side or both sides of the spine
- The diagnostic block, a separate procedure with its own starting price
- The facet injection type, corticosteroid or prolotherapy
- Additional imaging, if your MRI is missing or out of date
- Repeat treatment, because treated nerves regrow over time
Is it worth it compared with surgery or long-term medication?
A fair comparison looks at the total cost of care over time, including recovery, time off work, and ongoing expenses.
Compared with surgery. Needle procedures leave no surgical wound, and recovery is usually shorter. They are not interchangeable: nerve compression with weakness still needs a surgical opinion.
Compared with long-term medication. Painkillers cost less each time but are paid for every month and carry side effects. The American College of Physicians advises non-drug care first for chronic low back pain [3].
To be straightforward: these procedures aim to relieve pain and support rehabilitation, not to reverse wear in the spine, and research on the size of their benefit is mixed [1][2].
Questions to ask before you decide
1. How was the source of my pain confirmed?
2. Was a diagnostic block positive before Cooled RFA was offered?
3. How many levels, on one side or both, and what does the quotation include?
4. What are my options without a procedure?
When to see a doctor urgently
Go to an emergency department, rather than waiting for a planned procedure, if you notice:
- New weakness in an arm or leg
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Numbness in the saddle area, between the legs
- Fever with back or neck pain
- Pain after a major fall
- Unexplained weight loss
When we may advise against a procedure
- Blood thinners that cannot be safely managed around the procedure
- An active infection
- Pregnancy, because X-ray guidance is used
- Uncontrolled diabetes, when a corticosteroid would be used
- A pain source that is not confirmed, including a negative block before Cooled RFA
- Expectations the procedure cannot meet
Physician perspective
An illustrative example
Illustrative example, not a real patient: an office worker has aching lower back pain that is worse when leaning back, and the MRI report shows facet joint wear. After a diagnostic medial branch block, the usual pain eases clearly for several hours, so Cooled RFA is discussed with a written quotation. Had the block made no difference, the plan would have turned to other sources.
What happens next
1. Send your MRI or X-ray report and a short history.
2. Our pain medicine physician reviews them.
3. You receive a written plan and a written quotation.
4. If suitable, the procedure day is scheduled, starting with the block when Cooled RFA is considered.
5. We follow up on your recovery.
Interpreters are available for every language on this site, and online messages are answered 24 hours a day. The clinic is open daily 11:00 to 20:00, near BTS Sala Daeng.
To begin, send your imaging report and history for a physician review on WhatsApp +66 81 556 9696 or LINE. See our Pain Medicine service and the back and neck pages.
Doctors
Dr. Thanakrit Mangklapaiboon
Interventional Radiology
Fellowship in Body Interventional Radiology
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Dr. Rarinthorn Choomsai Na Ayuthaya
Pain Medicine / Anesthesiologist
Diploma of Pain Medicine
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Cooled RFA cost in Bangkok?
At YOUNIFY Clinic, Cooled RFA starts from THB 280,000. It follows a positive diagnostic medial branch block, a separate procedure starting from THB 22,000. The final figure depends on the number of levels, one or both sides, and your imaging, and is confirmed in a written quotation.
How much does an epidural steroid injection cost?
An epidural steroid injection (ESI) at YOUNIFY Clinic starts from THB 129,000. It is designed to calm inflammation around an irritated nerve root, which often causes pain spreading into an arm or leg. Our team confirms your final figure in writing before you decide.
Why do I need a medial branch block before Cooled RFA?
Cooled RFA can only help if the facet joints cause your pain. The block briefly numbs the nerves from those joints. If your usual pain clearly eases, Cooled RFA may be planned. If not, we look for another cause instead of performing a procedure unlikely to help.
Can I claim the cost on insurance?
It depends on your own policy. Give your insurer the exact procedure name before treatment and ask what is covered. Our team can prepare the medical documents for your own claim, such as the written quotation, the procedure report, and the receipt.
Is one Cooled RFA session enough?
It varies by individual. Nerves treated with Cooled RFA regrow, so relief is temporary and its length differs from person to person. When the first treatment clearly helped, it can be repeated, so it is sensible to plan your budget over time.
How long do I need to stay in Bangkok?
After a diagnostic block, Cooled RFA, ESI, facet joint injection, or selective nerve root injection, most patients go home the same day; allow time for two visits when Cooled RFA follows a block. Epidural balloon neuroplasty includes a one-day hospital stay, and most patients can fly home 3 to 5 days afterwards.
References
- Juch JNS, Maas ET, Ostelo RWJG, et al. Effect of radiofrequency denervation on pain intensity among patients with chronic low back pain: the Mint randomized clinical trials. JAMA, 2017.
- Oliveira CB, Maher CG, Ferreira ML, et al. Epidural corticosteroid injections for lumbosacral radicular pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane, 2020.
- Qaseem A, Wilt TJ, McLean RM, Forciea MA. Noninvasive treatments for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2017.
- Cohen SP, Hooten WM. Advances in the diagnosis and management of neck pain. BMJ, 2017.
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Medical Note
This article is for general information and does not replace medical examination, diagnosis, or treatment. If symptoms are severe, changing quickly, or urgent, seek medical care promptly.
Individual results may vary. Please consult a doctor before treatment.
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