Spine Health and Back Pain Center
Artificial disc replacement. Also known as total disc replacement. A device that is implanted into the spine to mimic the functions of a normal disc. This has been viewed by many as better than spinal fusion, since it doesn’t restrict movement and allows patients to live life in motion.
Bulging disc. A bulging disc is different as it’s a large portion of the disc that is pushing out of its normal space, protruding outward. Too big for the space it’s in. These are considered normal with age and typically cause no pain.
Chronic back pain. Pain in the back that lasts longer than 3 months and affects your quality of life and day-to-day living is considered to be chronic. Depending on the source of the pain, it can be chronic lower back pain or chronic upper back pain.
Epidural steroid injection. An injection of a long lasting steroid into the epidural space in your spine. The medication helps to reduce the inflammation and/or swelling surrounding a nerve, thus we can hopefully decrease the amount of pain and discomfort you have.
Fibromyalgia. Is a condition where someone experiences chronic pain and tenderness that is all over the body, not just concentrated in one area affecting the soft tissues including muscles, tendons, and joints.
Herniated disc. The disc is the soft jelly-like cushion between the vertebrae. A herniated disc, also called a ‘slipped disc’ or a ‘ruptured disc’ is when a tear occurs in the disc and the jelly-like cushion leaks out through the crack in the outer layer of the cartridge. This leakage can irritate surrounding nerves and cause pain.
Natural back pain relief. There are numerous options to help relieve back pain naturally. They can include alternative health treatments, such as acupuncture or herbal/Chinese medicine. It also includes chiropractic care, massage therapy and deep tissue ultra sound for the back. Natural back pain relief treatments can also include fitness routines such as yoga, Pilates, weight training and swimming. In addition, natural supplements for back pain relief are also used by many to help naturally strengthen the back as well as natural anti-inflammatories to reduce pain.
Sciatica. Sciatica is an ailment that can cause lower back and leg pain. It is typically a symptom of another problem, possibly a pinched nerve or a herniated disc which is causing pressure on the sciatic nerve causing a pain which runs down from your lower back area down the leg.
Spinal fusion. This is an invasive surgery that last several hours where two or more vertebrae (bones) in the spine are joined together (‘fused’) so there is no movement. Spinal fusion was first used to treat fractures of the vertebrae. It is now used to treat problems of the spine that are related to aging.
Stem cells for low back pain. This innovative, non-surgical procedure utilizes the body's own concentrated stem cells to help heal injured or damaged area thereby reducing pain. The procedure typically involves harvesting stem cells then re-injecting it into the patient's bone marrow to help repair worn out discs.
Vertebral compression fracture. This is a break (crack) in the bones of the spine or vertebrae. These can be caused by trauma and typically occur in the middle of the back (thoracic) or lower back (lumbar). As in any broken bone, a fracture can be mild or severe based on a variety of factors, which would affect the diagnosis, treatment plan, and healing time.