Texas Health Southlake has also earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Spine Surgery Certification by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care. We are proud to provide our community an exceptional spine surgery experience.
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Which Type of Spine Doctor is Right for You?
If you’re experiencing back pain, lower back pain, neck pain or a pinched nerve, finding the right specialist is important. You’ll find experienced spine specialists and back surgeons on the medical staff at Texas Health hospitals that are dedicated to helping you find relief.
- Pain management physician - With an in-depth knowledge of the physiology behind pain, pain management doctors offer non-surgical care plans to help relieve sciatic nerve pain and other chronic back pain conditions. Patients often consult a pain management specialist before considering surgery.
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation physician (also known as a physiatrist) – Working closely with neurologists, back surgeons, and pain management specialists, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician can provide comprehensive care to restore function and reduce spine pain for patients with brain, spinal cord, and nerve conditions.
- Orthopedic spine surgeon – An orthopedic surgeon can become a spine surgery specialist with fellowship training. They specialize in diagnosis and spine surgery for musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis of the back, fractures, sports injuries to the spine and trauma to the spine.
- Neurosurgeon - A neurosurgeon specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and spine. With fellowship training in spine, a neurosurgeon can also specialize in spine surgery.
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What Are Common Non-Surgical Spine Pain Relief Option?
Whenever possible, spine specialists on the medical staff use non-surgical care to help back pain. A back doctor may recommend:
- Home exercise
- Physical therapy
- Weight management
- Medications
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Bracing
Read more about non-surgical treatment options available to address back pain and neck pain.
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Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Options
If spine surgery is determined to be a necessary step, minimally invasive spine surgery could be an option for you. A spine surgeon will make a few small incisions and use a camera to guide the operation while viewing a video monitor. Benefits of minimally invasive spine surgery can include shorter recovery time, less pain after surgery, and smaller scarring compared to traditional open surgeries.
Types of minimally invasive spine surgery:
- Spinal fusions (using the OLIF, ALIF, TLIF and PLIF techniques)
- Endoscopic spine surgery
- Robotic spinal surgery
Spine conditions commonly treated with minimally invasive techniques can include:
- Herniated disc
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Spine infections
- Spine instability
- Vertebral compression fractures
- Spine tumors
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Additional Surgical Treatment Options
- Anterior cervical discectomy
- Artificial disc replacement (ADR)
- Bone graft spine fusion
- Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty
- Posterior lumbar decompression/laminectomy
- Posterior lumbar discectomy
- Reconstructive surgery
- Spinal cord stimulator/neuromodulation therapy
- Spine fusion (anterior and posterior)
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Rehabilitation for Back and Spine Pain
Specialized back and spine physical therapy can be a valuable non-surgical care option to address chronic back pain and neck pain and is also a vital part of recovery from spine surgery.
Benefits of physical therapy can include:
- Improve strength and stability in the back and neck
- Increase flexibility and mobility of the spine
- Improve posture and alignment of the spine
- Management of pain after surgery
- Provide techniques to help back pain relief
- Help you return to regular, daily activities
Post-surgery your back doctor may recommend physical therapy options including inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, physician-directed therapy, and physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Learn more about Texas Health’s back and spine rehabilitation programs and find a location near you.
