It should be noted that for the majority of individuals who suffer from back or neck pain, surgery is not required.  While an MRI may show a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease, conservative treatments are commonly considered first. 

There are several options available to treat back and neck pain, and manypatients will find that within 1 to 3 months their pain will resolve.  Non-surgical treatment options include:

• rest and a gradual return to normal activity
• a combination of heat and ice application
• physical therapy
• chiropractic treatment
• acupuncture
• pain management
• or some combination of the above.

The goal of treatment is to relieve pain.  If the above treatment options fail to achieve this goal, surgical options often exist.  Common surgical procedures performed by the doctors include:

Lumbar Microdiscectomy:  Used to treat lumbar disc herniation where nerve root impingement occurs and causes leg pain, numbness or weakness.  The portion of herniated disc material is removed in order to decompress the nerve.  Microdiscectomy can be performed on an out-patient basis, and the success rate is over 90%.  Patients can generally return to normal activity relatively quickly.

Lumbar Laminectomy:  Used to treat lumbar spinal stenosis, a condition in which the spinal canal is narrowed.  The spinal canal contains the nerves that supply the legs and compression of these nerves can lead to progressively severe back and leg pain.  This pain is often worse with standing for long periods of time or with walking certain distances.  The spinal canal is opened by removing the ‘roof’ or lamina of the spine, thus removing the pressure on the nerves.  Success rates approach 80-85%.  Newer, less invasive technologies, such as the “X-Stop,” a device that is inserted between the spinous processes of the spine in order in to increase the space in the spinal canal, are also options that our practice can offer.

Lumbar Spinal Fusion/ Pedicle Screw Fixation/Fusion:  Can be performed in the setting of spinal instability, degenerative spondylolisthesis (slippage of one vertebral body on another), degenerative scoliosis (spinal curvature), traumatic spinal injuries, and degenerative disc disease.  Often used in conjunction with titanium screws and short rods, the goal is to fuse the spine and eliminate motion across the disc space.  Some activity restrictions are common in the first eight weeks following surgery; however patients are out of bed walking typically the first postoperative day.  Success rates for fusion vary depending on the reason it is being performed.    

Cervical Discectomy and Fusion:  Used to treat cervical disc herniation in the setting of neck and arm pain.  The herniated portion of disc can compress the cervical nerve root and cause pain to radiate from the neck down the arm.  It may cause numbness and tingling as well as muscle weakness.  The disc that is causing the pain may be removed from the front or back.  It is usually removed through the front and a piece of bone graft as well as a thin titanium plate are left in order to maintain height and avoid chronic neck pain.  Success rates approach 95%.