Treatments

At the Spine Institute, our goal is to treat your back problem in the least invasive and most effective way we can. This means that we'll often suggest trying other less invasive treatments or procedures before recommending surgery. When surgery is the best option, we’ll work hard to find a surgical approach that will minimize your risks and lower the disruption to your life.

Your doctor may prescribe medication to soothe inflammation, relax muscles, and ease pain. It is important you take the medication exactly as your doctor or pharmacist advises and let your doctor know about other medications, herbs, or supplements you take.

Our goal at the Spine Institute is to assist you in managing your pain with as little medication as possible. If you have chronic or intractable pain, you may be referred back to your primary care physician or to a chronic pain program. We do not manage chronic pain at the Spine Institute.

The physical therapists at the Spine Institute are specially trained to manage spine patients. A functional assessment can be completed that will assist in creating an individualized plan of care.

Procedures such as neurotomy and radiofrequency ablation use heat, cold, chemicals, or radiofrequency energy to destroy nerves near a problem joint. This relieves symptoms by preventing pain signals from traveling to the brain. Additional treatments for chronic pain include spinal pumps and stimul classators that are implanted under the skin.

Your doctor may recommend a spinal injection to treat inflammation or ease pain. An injection can deliver medication quickly to the source of your symptoms.

Most spine problems can be treated without surgery. In some cases, however, your spine care team may suggest surgery as a good option for relieving your symptoms.

Behavioral medicine practitioners are an important member of our spine treatment team. National research shows that pain, particularly chronic pain associated with spinal disorders, has a greater impact than just the physical body. The pain you experience may alter your behavior and desire to participate in your normal daily activities. It can impact your mental, social and emotional well-being. If this occurs, it can compromise your quality of life.

The care providers at the Spine Institute are aware that there are many alternative therapies that may be effective in treating spine disorders. Although not many of these therapies are currently available within our clinics, we are willing to discuss options and assist you in determining if this is an appropriate option for you.