Though it’s not life-threatening, back pain can be life-altering. At Einstein Center for Orthopaedic Sciences, our spine specialists
understand how upsetting and debilitating back pain can be. That’s why our spine doctors take the time to talk to you and
work closely with you to develop a treatment plan that will help provide relief and get you back on your feet again. Click
a link below to learn more about treatment options for spine diseases and injuries at Einstein.
- Surgical
- Non-surgical
Surgical Treatments
While most back pain can be successfully treated conservatively, about 10 percent of patients with back pain will need surgery.
Those patients are usually people with extreme pain or muscle weakness. The spine experts at Einstein Center for Orthopaedic
Sciences offer the latest, most effective techniques and most advanced surgical procedures. These include:
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive operation. Using pencil-sized instruments inserted through small incisions, your surgeon can remove
large, ruptured discs.
BAK™ implants are small, hollow metal cylinders that spine surgeons use in a minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery to relieve lower
back pain caused by degenerated discs. Spine surgeons remove portions of the painful disc and vertebral bones and place the
implants. Then they take a small amount of bone from patients’ hips and place it inside the metal cylinders. This lets the
bone grow through and around the implant, fusing the vertebral bodies.
Laminaplasty is a procedure used to relieve spinal cord compression in the neck. A surgeon opens a part of the spinal canal’s bony roof
(the lamina), sort of like cracking a door open. This has the effect of enlarging the spinal canal, relieving pressure on
the spinal cord.
Laminectomy, also called spinal decompression, is a procedure in which a surgeon removes part of the bony roof of the spinal canal (the
lamina) to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. This procedure is used to treat herniated and ruptured discs,
myelopathy and spinal stenosis.
Microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which the spinal canal is opened so a surgeon can remove disc fragments through
a tiny incision, using small tools and guided by a high-powered microscope.
Spinal fusion is a technique used to join two vertebrae together using metal implants and bone grafts. The procedure’s goal is to stop
vertebrae from moving around by creating a bridge of new bone growth that links vertebrae together. Lightweight metal rods
and screws are used to stabilize the “bridge” area so that new bone growth can occur. Some fusions are performed from the
front of the spine, some from the back. Fusion is used to treat spondylolisthesis and severe disc degeneration and rupture.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Nearly 90 percent of back pain can be treated conservatively, that is, without surgery. Click a link below to learn more about
non-surgical treatment options offered at Einstein.
Blocks are a treatment strategy for people who aren’t getting relief from conservative measures such as medication and exercise.
Blocks are injections of medication onto or near nerves. Epidural blocks are needles filled with local anesthetic and powerful
anti-inflammatory drugs (such as the steroid cortisone). These are given to decrease inflammation in spinal nerves, which
causes pain. Spinal nerve blocks are injections of powerful painkillers into nerves to temporarily reduce their oversensitivity
to pain.
Exercise not only helps strengthen back muscles, it also helps build up other muscles in the body, which can relieve some of the strain
on your back. Exercise also improves blood flow to the back, which in turn helps speed healing. Orthopaedists can recommend
specific exercises that help reduce back pain, increase flexibility and tighten up flabby muscles.
Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat compression fractures in the spine, usually due to osteoporosis. During the
procedure, a needle is placed into the vertebrae then replaced with a balloon catheter. The balloon is inflated, creating
a space where liquid bone cement will be injected. Kyphoplasty stabilizes and strengthens collapsed bone, easing chronic pain
and preventing further collapse.
Medication can range from over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin or Tylenol to prescription muscle relaxers and non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs. Medication’s role is to relieve pain and to reduce inflammation that can cause pain.
Physical therapy generally includes pain relief, strength and flexibility training, proper postural alignment, regaining movement or range
of motion, improving and correcting posture, endurance training, relaxation and stress relieving techniques, balance and coordination
training, proper walking, education, safety awareness and development/implementation of a home exercise program. The program
may include stretching, toning and strengthening components. Regular exercise and improved physical condition can increase
your long-term flexibility, make your back muscles stronger, improve your posture and prevent future fractures. Einstein’s
partnership with MossRehab gives our patients access to some of the world’s best diagnostic and rehabilitation resources.
Vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that involves injecting a liquid cement into fractured vertebral sections along the spine.
The procedure stabilizes and strengthens collapsed bone, easing chronic back pain and preventing further collapse. It’s usually
used to treat fractures caused by osteoporosis, but only after conservative treatments and painkillers have failed.
