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Spine Care

Spine specialists in Southeast Idaho

At Portneuf Medical Center, we provide comprehensive treatments for neck and back pain. Our skilled spine specialists provide comprehensive back and neck pain treatments for chronic, complex, and acute conditions. Our treatments include various surgical procedures to alleviate pain and restore mobility. Whenever possible, our surgeons utilize minimally-invasive robotic technology to promote faster healing times and a quicker return to daily activities. Whether you’re suffering from a spinal fracture or scoliosis, our team is here to provide personalized spine care, ensuring you receive the best outcome possible for your condition.

Our back pain treatments

Back pain is very common and typically responds very well to nonsurgical treatments like anti-inflammatory medications, heat, and physical therapy. While a majority of back pain may resolve on its own within three months, it is important to talk to an orthopedic surgeon if you have unexplained back pain, suspect a spine fracture or suffer from severe or continuous back pain. Other patients may experience pain or numbness that goes down your extremities. These symptoms are often caused by compressed nerves in your spine, and may be a result of one of the following:

  • Disk problems: Bulging or ruptured (herniated) disks — the rubbery cushions separating the bones of your spine —sometimes press too tightly against a spinal nerve and affect its function.
  • Overgrowth of bone: Osteoarthritis can result in bone spurs on your spine. This excess bone most commonly affects the hinge joints on the back part of the spinal column and can narrow the amount of space available for nerves to pass through openings in your spine. 

At Portneuf Medical Center, our team specializes in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery, scoliosis, spinal fractures, and spinal tumors. We are dedicated to providing comprehensive care to help you achieve better spinal health and improve your quality of life. If you are experiencing persistent back pain, our specialists are here to help you explore all available treatment options.

Back and spine surgery

If you have tried conservative treatments and your pain remains persistent and debilitating, it might be time to discuss spinal surgery with your back specialist or orthopedic surgeon. Our team specializes in the following back and spine surgery treatments:

  • Artificial disks or disk replacement: A surgeon removes the damaged spinal disk and implants artificial disks as an alternative to spinal fusion. This is often used for pain between two vertebrae due to a degenerated or injured disk.
  • Discectomy: Sometimes a disk slips out of place, presses on a spinal nerve, and causes back pain. In this procedure, a surgeon removes all or some of the disk, the herniated portion. This is to relieve irritation and inflammation of a nerve. Sometimes it’s part of a larger surgery that includes laminectomy, foraminotomy, or spinal fusion.
  • Foraminotomy: A surgeon cuts away bone at the sides of your vertebrae to widen the space where nerves exit your spine. The extra room may relieve pressure on the nerves and ease your pain. Like a laminectomy, this procedure can also make your spine less stable. If this is the case, your surgeon may do a spinal fusion at the same time.
  • Fusion: This is the most common surgery for back pain. A spinal fusion permanently joins two or more bones (vertebrae) in your spine. It can relieve pain by adding stability to a spinal fracture. It is occasionally used to eliminate painful motion between vertebrae that can result from a degenerated or injured disk. Fusion limits the motion between the vertebrae and reduces how far your nerves can stretch. But it likely won’t limit your activity.
  • Interlaminar implant: A surgeon implants a U-shaped device between two vertebrae in your lower back. This helps keep the space between them open and eases pressure on your spinal nerves. It can be done at the same time as a laminectomy. This is less restricting than a spinal fusion.
  • Laminectomy: In this procedure, a surgeon removes parts of the bone, bone spurs, or ligaments overlying the spinal canal. It is also performed to relieve nerve pressure caused by spinal stenosis. This enlarges the spinal canal and relieves pressure on spinal nerves and often reduces pain or weakness. However, it can make your spine less stable. If that happens, you may need a spinal fusion. These two treatments are often done at the same time.

Back surgery offers a variety of benefits, including an improved and elevated mood, better mobility, enhanced physical fitness, a reduction or removal of pain medication, and the ability to work standard jobs and hours. Please call us to learn more about our services.

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