Morton Grove Orthopedic Spine Surgeons

For many of us, back pain is simply a fact of life. More than three-quarters of adults will experience some kind of lower back pain during their lives. Back pain can affect every element of your daily life, from doing household chores, walking your dog, or even just driving to work. It plays such a large role in the daily existences of so many people that it has become the number one reason for job-related disabilities and absences.

If you suffer from back pain, you already know how aggravating the discomfort can be. Sometimes, though, it can develop into something more than the occasional twinge. If your back regularly aches, you develop what are colloquially called “shooting” pains, you feel discomfort pulse down your leg, or your pain grows more intense during normal activity, you may have a more serious problem. Your pain may be the result of:

Muscle strain
Ligament strain
Bulging disk
Ruptured disk
Osteoporosis
Arthritis
Scoliosis

While physical exercise can sometimes solve back-related aches, the above list serves as a reminder that some problems won’t go away without professional aid. Fortunately, the doctors at The Spine Center specialize in helping people with back pain in Morton Grove, Illinois.

Treating spine disorders in Morton Grove

Our patients regularly find themselves asking, “How do you treat a spinal disorder?” Many also express some worry about surgical options.

It’s true that the doctors at The Spine Clinic specialize in several advanced surgical procedures that incorporate the latest research. Our treatment options include:

Of course, not every treatment requires surgery, and we pride ourselves on providing our clients with informed, educated options each and every time. If exercise, physical therapy, or lifestyle change can solve your back pain, we will help you with an appropriate, non-surgical treatment plan.

When You Should See a Doctor for Back Pain?

Unfortunately, not every instance of spinal discomfort can be traced to lifestyle factors. Injuries and spinal deformities are often the source of back pain. While these can sometimes decrease in frequency if a patient practices good posture, they can also get worse without treatment.

If your pain simply doesn’t go away over time, you owe it to yourself to contact the doctors at The Spine Center. Additionally, symptoms such as these listed below may indicate a serious problem. Make an appointment today if you experience any of the following:

unrelenting stiffness or aching
pain in the lumbar region after sitting for an extended period
sudden bouts of sharp, localized pain
back pain that impedes your posture
loss of sensation or weakness in the extremities

Sciatica Surgery

Many individuals with back pain recognize the word “sciatica.” In truth, though, it’s a somewhat colloquial term that can describe a number of conditions. Sciatica is a kind of pain that involves the sciatic nerve, and the discomfort often can radiate from your lower back down into your hips and even through your legs.

Sometimes stretches or calisthenic exercises can help with sciatica. But if it results from degenerative spondylolisthesis, a condition related to spinal arthritis that The Spine Center’s surgeons often see in sciatica cases, surgery often helps. Typical treatments removing a section of spine. After releasing the pressure that’s causing the pain, the surgeon will stabilize it using a combination of bone grafts and supportive shims.

Scoliosis Treatment

Scoliosis is an abnormal curving of the spine. “People with scoliosis develop additional curves to either side of the body, and the bones of the spine twist on each other, forming a C or an S-shaped or scoliosis curve in the spine. Scoliosis ranges from 10-20 degrees (mild), 20-50 degrees (moderate), and severe (greater than 50 degrees).”

While scoliosis can appear in any age group, it most often appears in young, female patients. For spine curvatures of 40 degrees or less, bracing the back will usually help. More severe scoliosis, though, can cause considerable discomfort, and surgery is usually the best option in such cases.

Spinal Fusion

As mentioned above, several spinal problems and disorders can be dealt with through nonsurgical or minimally invasive means. Spinal fusion is one of the surgical options available to help relieve patients from stubborn pain. Used in a number of different situations and as part of various treatment regimes, spinal fusion joins two or more vertebrae into a single length. The goal is to keep compromised vertebrae from coming in contact with or putting pressure on the nerves, which causes back pain.

Pain Relief for Morton Grove Patients

Our experienced physicians have over five decades of combined experience treating spinal issues. Our conservative, caring, patient-focused approach has only one goal: to see you free from the pain impacting your life. We pride ourselves on providing patient-centric, closely supervised care and employing on the best, most advanced techniques. Schedule an appointment with us to learn how a specialist at The Spine Center can help make your life more livable.