Spine Injuries & Conditions

We understand that when you have neck or back pain, you want answers that will lead you back to living a pain free life. Regardless of the type of injury, treatment options are available that can help relieve pain and restore mobility.

Back and neck pain or injuries don’t automatically mean you’ll need surgery. Many non-surgical treatment options are available to treat spine injuries such as degenerative spine disease and spine fractures. Keep reading and learn more about treatment options available for your back and neck injury.

Schedule Appointment

Degenerative Spine Disease

Degenerative spine disease, otherwise known as degenerative disk disease, is a condition in which the cushions, or disks, between your vertebrae break down. When this occurs, the bones within your spine may rub together. This condition is more common in older adults since the spinal disks wear down overtime.

Signs of degenerative disk pain include:

Neck pain
Lower back pain
Pain extending into the arms and hands and/or buttock and legs
Pain that starts and stops and can range in severity
Pain that progresses over time

Other medical issues that can develop as a result of degenerative spine disease include scoliosis, herniated disks, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis.

Symptoms

Symptoms of degenerative spine disease include:

Neck and back pain
Pain that starts and stops
Pain that extends into the buttocks and/or legs
Arm and/or legs numbness and tingling
Progression in pain due to bending, sitting, and/or lifting

Treatments

Your doctor may recommend conservative treatments, such as:

At-home exercises
Hot/cold therapy
Stretching
Physical therapy
Medications
Steroid injections

Most patients won’t need surgery, unless pain persists, conservative treatments do not improve their condition, or the condition is severe. If your condition requires surgery, your surgeon will talk to you about options and help you choose the best one for your specific injury.

Schedule Appointment

Disk Herniation

The spine is made up of vertebrae and disks. Vertebrae are the bones within the spine and disks are the cushions that sit between each of the vertebrae. In the center of the spinal disks lie the nucleus, which is surrounded and protected by an exterior layer called the annulus.

A disk herniation, or a herniated disk, will occur when there is a tear within the annulus and the nucleus is pushed outside of the exterior layer through the tear. A herniated disk most commonly happens in the lower part of the spine.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on the severity of the herniated disk. If the nucleus that has pushed through a tear within the annulus is pressing up against a nerve, then patients can experience different symptoms compared to if it is not pressed up against a nerve.

Symptoms include:

Arm or leg pain
Numbness and/or tingling
Weakness

Depending on the location of the herniated disk (neck or back) one may experience pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness in either their arm and shoulder or buttocks, leg, and even foot.

Treatments

Treatment options for herniated disks can include conservative options like medications and physical therapy. However, depending on the severity of the herniated disk, and if symptoms are not improving with conservative treatment, surgery may be required.

Most patients with herniated disks are able to treat their condition with conservative treatments, avoiding surgery all together.

Schedule Appointment

Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the space within the spine is compressed, causing the spinal cord or nerves within the spine to be pinched. This condition can be similarly compared to a pinched nerve.

Pressure on the spinal cord or a nerve, which can cause spinal stenosis, can be from:

Bone spurs caused from arthritis
Herniated disks
Tumors
Thick ligaments

Symptoms

Spinal stenosis can occur within the neck or lower back causing different symptoms. However, in many cases, symptoms are not present.

Spinal stenosis of the lower back can cause:

Back or leg pain
Cramping in one or both legs

Spinal stenosis of the neck can cause:

Neck pain
Numbness, tingling, and or weakness in ones’ hand, leg, foot, and/or arm
Difficulty walking or balancing
Bowel and/or bladder issues

Treatments

Depending on the severity, spinal stenosis can be treated conservatively through medications, physical therapy, and steroid injections.

If the spinal stenosis is more severe, or conservative treatments are not causing improvement, surgery may be suggested. The goal of surgery would be to create more space within the spine to relieve pressure.

Schedule Appointment

Spondylolisthesis and Instability

Spondylolisthesis, or spine instability, is a condition in which the vertebrae within the spine slip out of alignment. When a vertebra is out of place, it will rest on the bone below it and may put pressure on a nerve causing pain.

There are different types of spondylolisthesis, which are caused by different factors.

The most common form of spondylolisthesis is degenerative spondylolisthesis, which occurs overtime due to aging. With degenerative spondylolisthesis, the vertebrae slip out of place due to the cushions, or disks between the vertebrae, thinning from losing water over time.

Symptoms

Many patients do not experience symptoms from spondylolisthesis. However, in instances where patients have symptoms, they experience:

Lower back pain, which can spread into the buttock and/or thighs
Muscle spasms in the back of the thighs
Foot weakness, numbness, or tingling
Complications with walking or standing
Discomfort while bending over
Back stiffness

Treatments

Surgery is typically not required for less severe, or low-grade cases of spondylolisthesis. Conservative treatments for low-grade cases include:

Rest
Medication
Injections
Physical Therapy
Bracing

Surgery may be required for more severe, or high-grade cases of spondylolisthesis, especially if conservative treatments do not improve the patient’s condition. The goal of surgery would be to improve quality of life by relieving pain, restoring function, and stabilizing the spine to prevent further slippage.

Schedule Appointment

Spine Fractures

A spinal fracture, or a broken back, is when any of the vertebrae or bones within the spine are broken.

A spinal fracture can occur in the cervical (neck), thoracic (upper back), or lumbar (lower back) segment of the spine. Types of spinal fractures include:

Compression fractures can be caused by osteoporosis or trauma. This is when the vertebrae have cracks or breaks within them.
Burst fractures occur when the vertebrae break from being compressed by a strong force.
Chance fractures occur when the vertebrae break from being pulled away from one another.

The severity of a fractured spine is categorized as either a stable fracture or an unstable fracture. A stable fracture is when the broken vertebrae remain in its location of the spine, whereas an unstable fracture is when the vertebrae move out of place in the spine. Stable fractures are less severe than an unstable fracture.

Symptoms

Spine fractures can go unnoticed if caused by osteoporosis. However, if one experiences trauma to the spine, symptoms may include:

Back pain
Swelling, tenderness, tingling, and/or numbness
Changes to height and/or posture
Incontinence

Treatments

Most broken backs can heal without surgery. Nonsurgical treatment may include bracing, physical therapy or even treating osteoporosis.

If conservative treatments are not improving the pain or condition of the spine, or if the break is severe and has the potential to cause additional damage to the spine or back, surgery may be required for treatment.

Schedule Appointment

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a condition in which the spine is curved sideways. In addition to the spine curving, the spine may also rotate or twist.

There are a few different types of scoliosis, some more common than others. Depending on the type, scoliosis may be caused by:

Hereditary factors
Birth defects
Neuromuscular conditions
Spinal injuries or infections
Spinal cord abnormalities

Symptoms

Symptoms of scoliosis are visible and include:

Uneven shoulders, hip, and/or waist
Prominence in one shoulder blade, one side of the rib cage, and/or on one side of the back

In addition to your appearance being visibly uneven, someone with scoliosis may also experience issues with their back or even breathing.

Treatments

Typically, mild to moderate scoliosis will be treated conservatively with a brace during adolescence to prevent the spinal curve from worsening overtime. Once the vertebrae are no longer growing, the brace may stop being worn.

In severe cases of scoliosis, to straighten out the spine or prevent the spinal curve from worsening, surgery may be suggested or required.

Schedule Appointment

Spinal Infection

Spinal infections can take place in the vertebral column (spine), intervertebral disks, spinal canal, or adjacent soft tissues.

The most common spine infection is vertebral osteomyelitis. This infection occurs when an infection in another part of the body spreads to the spine through the blood stream.

Symptoms

Different spinal infections call for different symptoms, however, if one is experiencing pain, it will be located at infection site.

Symptoms of Vertebral Osteomyelitis include:

Severe back pain
Muscle spasms
Fever and chills
Weight loss
Pain while urinating
Incontinence
Weakness and/or numbness in arms and/or legs

Treatments

The first step to treating a spinal infection is through antibiotics, as surgery is used as a last resort. Surgery depends on the severity of the infection and if it has caused neurological damage and/or the spine itself is damaged.

If surgery is required, the goal would be to:

Completely remove the infection
Promote healing with proper blood flow
Stabilize the spine
Restore spinal function as best as possible

Schedule Appointment

Spine and Spinal Cord Tumors

A growth or mass of tissue on the spinal cord or vertebrae is known as either a spinal cord tumor or vertebral tumor.

The cause of spinal cord or vertebral tumors are mostly unknown but can be caused by other tumors metastasizing or genetic defects.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a spinal cord or vertebral tumor can include:

Back pain, which can spread to the hips, legs, feet and/or arms
Pain worsens at night
Pain caused at the site of the tumor
Sensitivity loss to pain, heat, and/or cold
Incontinence
Instability
Muscle weakness

In addition to causing pain, spinal cord and vertebral tumors can lead to neurological issues and even paralysis causing permanent damage. This condition can be life-threatening.

Treatments

The first step of treatment starts with monitoring the spinal cord or vertebral tumor to see if any growth occurs or symptoms develop.

If a patient is experiencing symptoms and the tumor appears to be growing, surgery may be performed. The goal of surgery is to completely remove the tumor to avoid further damage, complications, or issues from developing.

Schedule Appointment

Reducing Infection Rates: The Impact of an ASC’s Safety Culture

2024-06-12T10:25:39-05:00By Lauryn Steffes|Categories: Orthopedics, Recovery, Spine|Tags: ASC, Infection Rates, orthopedics, Postoperative|

By Amanda Sosnosky, Administrator of Orthopedic Surgery Center of Green Bay and Orthopedic Surgery Center of the Fox Valley As the demand [...]

OSMS recognized as one of America’s Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers

2024-06-12T10:23:55-05:00By Lauryn Steffes|Categories: News, Orthopedics, Spine, Sports Medicine|Tags: Amanda Sosnosky, ambulatory surgery center, ASC, I'm Back, Infection Rates, Orthopedic Surgery, orthopedic surgery center, Orthopedic Surgery Center of Green Bay, orthopedics, OSMS, Spine, surgery center|

Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists (OSMS) - Orthopedic Surgery Center of Green Bay, the only ambulatory surgery center in the Green Bay area focused solely [...]

OSMS recognized again as one of the Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers in the U.S.

2024-06-12T10:22:40-05:00By Lauryn Steffes|Categories: News, Orthopedics, Spine, Sports Medicine|Tags: Amanda Sosnosky, ambulatory surgery center, ASC, I'm Back, Infection Rates, Lumbar Spine, Orthopedic Surgery, orthopedic surgery center, Orthopedic Surgery Center of Green Bay, orthopedics, OSMS, Sports Medicine, surgery center|

We are excited to announce and share that in addition to the OSMS Orthopedic Surgery Center of Green Bay being one of the Best Ambulatory [...]

OSMS Adds on its Own Anesthesia Team to Better Patient Experience and Control Costs

2024-08-29T09:35:47-05:00By Lauryn Steffes|Categories: News, Orthopedics, Spine, Sports Medicine|Tags: ambulatory surgery center, Orthopedic Surgery, orthopedic surgery center, Orthopedic Surgery Center of Green Bay, orthopedic surgery center of the fox valley, orthopedics, OSMS, Sports Medicine|

Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists (OSMS), a doctor-owned orthopedic, sports medicine, rheumatology, and pain management practice, has recently hired its own team of Anesthesiologists and [...]

New injury or pain? Click to chat with an orthopedic expert now.

Get Started

ORTHOPEDIC MENU

Cost Savings

Find your average savings in surgery and services with OSMS.

Average Savings

Pay Bill Online

Additional Facilities Features

Orthopedic Clinics

Walk-In Acute Injury Clinics

Infusion Therapy

Surgery Centers

Spine Injuries & Conditions