Neck & Spine
The spine is made up of 3 major curves: cervical (neck), thoracic (mid back) and lumbar (low back). Spinal anatomy is an amazing combination of 24 strong bones, flexible tendons and ligaments, muscles and ultra-sensitive nerves. The spine is incredibly strong and flexible providing for incredible mobility.
There are many different causes for back pain:
- The cervical and lumbar spines curve inward. Alternately, the thoracic spine has a slight outward curve to it. It is imperative that these curves be maintained when performing any daily activities such as sitting, standing, exercising, lifting, reaching, bending and even sleeping. If the spinal curves become reduced or exaggerated, one can become prone to back pain and injury. It is important to maintain spinal flexibility and strength, to insure that routine activities can be performed without strain to the ligaments and muscles of the spine.
- Various conditions may affect the spine and create disease. These include degenerative conditions such as spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the canal) and spinal osteoarthritis. Another common problem that can cause back and leg pain is disc herniation. Repetitive bending, twisting, or even a single back injury can create a "shear stress" across a disc. Eventually, this stress can cause the outer fibrous rings of the disc to break down. The terms herniated disc, ruptured disc, or slipped disc refer to the semi liquid center working its way through the outer ring and pushing on a nerve.
At South Palm Orthopedics our spine surgeon has the training and expertise to treat all types of conditions related to the neck, upper or lower back along the entire cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, such as degenerative disease; spinal trauma, including fractures and dislocations; sport-related injuries; spinal deformities such as scoliosis and congenital disorders; infection and tumors.
Conditions treated include:
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Chronic neck pain
- Chronic back pain
- Degenerative disc disease/Spondylosis
- Discitis
- Failed back syndrome
- Herniated/Ruptured dics
- Kyphosis
- Myelopathy
- Radiculopathy
- Sciatica
- Spinal deformity, including pediatric and adult scoliosis
- Spinal infections
- Spinal trauma/fractures and/or dislocations
- Spinal tumors
- Spondylolisthesis
- Stenosis
- Strains and sprains
- Vertebral compression fractures
Procedures performed include:
- Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)
- Anterior spinal fusion
- Anterior spinal instrumentation
- Corpectomy
- Discectomy, mini-open or minimally invasive
- Foraminotomy
- Interbody fusion with or without cages
- Kyphoplasty
- Laminotomy
- Laminectomy
- Laminoplasty
- Posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), open, mini-open or minimally invasive
- Posterior spinal fusion, open, mini-open or minimally invasive
- Posterior spinal instrumentation, open, mini-open or minimally invasive
- Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), open, mini-open or minimally invasive
- Use of bone autograft, and biologics such as allograft and BMP
Our experienced surgeon also performs fluoroscopic guided spinal injections for low back pain, sciatica, disk Herniations and spinal Stenosis:
- Epidural Injections
- Facet Injections
- Nerve root blocks
- Sacro-iliac injections
For more information on conditions and treatments for the Neck and Spine click here.