Back & Neck

Taking care of your back and neck is crucial for maintaining overall health and well-being. These areas of the body are central to our movement and posture, and overlooking them can lead to discomfort, chronic pain, sciatica issues, or more serious health concerns down the line.

At The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland Division, individuals facing neck and back discomfort find relief and expert care. Our team, comprised of 17 board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons and skilled physical therapists, specializes in tailoring treatment plans to meet each patient's unique needs.

Conditions We Treat

At The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland Division, we specialize in addressing a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions of the neck and back, including:

A vertebral bone collapse, known as a compression fracture, can impact one or multiple vertebrae, often occurring in the mid- or lower back. Such fractures may alter the spine's shape and structure.

Low back pain, often caused by muscle, tendon, and ligament strain from activities like lifting and poor posture, is a prevalent medical issue. Additionally, degenerative conditions such as arthritis can exacerbate this discomfort by applying pressure on the spinal cord or nerves, resulting in symptoms spreading to the buttocks, legs, and feet.

While many find relief through nonsurgical treatments, back surgery may be recommended for persistent or severe cases.

The neck, a vulnerable part of the spine, can experience pain due to various factors such as muscle, tendon, ligament, nerve, disc, or vertebrae issues. Causes include motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, falls, and conditions like osteoarthritis or herniated discs.

Neck pain can radiate to the head, shoulders, arms, and hands and may be acute or chronic. Acute pain usually resolves within weeks, while chronic pain persists for over three months, often due to degenerative spinal changes.

The sciatic nerve, the longest and thickest nerve in the body, extends from the lower back to the feet. When compressed or inflamed, it can lead to sciatica, characterized by shooting pain, tingling, weakness, and numbness. These symptoms may travel from the lower back, down one leg, and into the foot.

Sciatica can result from trauma, spinal issues, or medical conditions irritating the sciatic nerve. While nonsurgical treatments offer relief for most individuals, surgery may be necessary to alleviate pressure on the sciatic nerve for those who do not respond to conservative treatments.

Scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, deviates from the natural front-to-back curve of a healthy spine. It is characterized by side-to-side curvatures and often involves rotational deformities. While some individuals are born with scoliosis, it can also develop due to neuromuscular conditions, osteoporosis, or unknown reasons (idiopathic scoliosis).

Scoliosis tends to progress over time; untreated severe cases can lead to medical complications. Monitoring or treatment options such as back bracing or surgery may be recommended depending on the severity of the condition.

Spinal stenosis, a condition characterized by narrowing or intrusion into the open spaces of the spinal column, can lead to compression of the spinal cord and nerves. This narrowing most frequently occurs in the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine.

Spine and back pain, often caused by factors such as muscle strain, disc herniation, or spinal abnormalities, can significantly disrupt daily activities.

Treatments

Explore our comprehensive range of advanced treatments designed to alleviate back and neck pain, tailored to address individual needs and promote optimal recovery.

Neck surgery is recommended if nonsurgical methods yield minimal improvement or if a herniated disc directly compresses a nerve or spinal cord, causing loss of function. The most common surgery for a herniated cervical disc is anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), which involves removing the affected discs and fusing adjacent vertebrae to alleviate pain and stabilize the spine through a small incision on the front of the neck.

Coflex®, or interlaminar stabilization, is a surgical technique that involves implanting a small, flexible device into the spine to stabilize the affected area while preserving motion. It is commonly used to treat spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease, offering an alternative to traditional spinal fusion surgery.

See List > Interlaminar Stabilization (coflex®)

Endoscopic spinal decompression offers a less invasive solution for relieving back pain stemming from spinal cord and nerve compression. This outpatient procedure requires only a minor incision, typically under 1 cm long, which is easily covered with a tiny bandage post-surgery.

Through this incision, a slender tube equipped with a camera is introduced into the spinal canal. This allows for the precise removal of herniated tissue via the tube, offering relief from pain with minimal recovery time.

This minimally invasive procedure effectively repairs vertebral compression fractures, restoring the spine's natural shape and providing rapid pain relief for many patients.

A lumbar discectomy involves surgically removing the portion of a disc in the lower back that compresses the spinal cord or nerves, alleviating considerable pain caused by a herniated disc or broken pieces of disc or bone.

When conservative treatments fail, surgery may be necessary. While some cases allow for arthroscopic discectomy, the most common approach for a herniated lumbar disc is an open microdiscectomy conducted through a small incision using a microscope.

This procedure addresses lumbar spinal stenosis, a condition characterized by narrowing around the spinal nerves in the lower back. Through a minimally invasive approach, the procedure creates additional space for these nerves, alleviating painful compression and improving symptoms.

Lumbar fusion may be advised to address pain stemming from spinal stenosis, a condition that narrows the spinal canal and pressures the spinal cord and nerves. Your doctor may recommend this procedure if nonsurgical options prove ineffective, leg weakness worsens, or if bowel and bladder issues arise.

During a posterior lumbar spinal fusion, bone grafts from your pelvis or elsewhere fuse spinal levels together, eliminating painful motion. Surgical hardware, like screws and rods, secures the vertebrae, facilitating the healing of the bone grafts.

X STOP®, also known as interspinous process decompression, is a minimally invasive procedure for treating lumbar spinal stenosis similar to Coflex®. An X-STOP® device is implanted between adjacent spinous processes, relieving pressure on the nerves and restoring space within the spinal canal. This results in symptom improvements, such as decreased numbness and increased mobility.

See List > Interspinous Process Decompression (X STOP®)

Back and Neck Pain Management & Sciatica Treatment in Central Maryland

At The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland Division, scheduling your office appointment with our orthopedic surgeons is simple. Book online, message us via Klara, or call us directly. For scheduling appointments, either go online or call (410) 644-1880 or toll-free at (855) 4MD-BONE. Please call (443) 478-4449 for physical therapy services, or please call (443) 478-4449 for appointments across all eight of our locations. We are committed to providing exceptional care for your health needs, including pain associated with sciatica.