Physical Therapy – Physical therapy is oftentimes used to strengthen the muscles, which act as a support structure for the spine. It also helps to improve the range of motion and increase the ability to function in spite of the pain.

Injection Therapy – Injection therapy is typically performed by an anesthesia pain specialist. Oftentimes the injection will consist of a combination of a long-acting local anesthetic and a steroid. This can be injected into the epidural space (the space around the sac that holds the nerves) or into the area of the joints for the individual segments in the spine. This helps to decrease pain of inflammatory origin.

Pain Control Devices – Pain control devices are implantable devices completely under the skin that help manage pain of chronic origin, which is unresponsive to more standard or routine approaches. These include the spinal cord stimulator, which stimulates the back part of the spinal cord and prevents the brain from concentrating on pain signals. The other implantable pain control device is the intrathecal pump, which allows for the medication to be administered by controlled drops directly into the spinal fluid, which can markedly reduce the dose of the medication needed/required while, at the same time, allowing it to be much more effective.

Surgery – when conservative treatment fails, surgery of the spinal column can address issues such as ruptured disk, deformity, instability or pain from severe degeneration of the motion segments of the spine.

Referral

Please contact the physician referral line at 800.372.6094 to find a SJMO neurosurgeon near you.