Spine care
Spine specialists, who can be orthopedists or neurosurgeons, diagnose and treat injuries, trauma and diseases related to the spine. Spine care doctors also offer care for herniated discs, nerve damage, sciatica, neck pain or chronic back pain.
Spine specialists in Richmond, Virginia
Your spine is a source of strength and stability, but, when something's wrong, it can also be a source of pain.
Spine specialists at Johnston-Willis Hospital can help relieve that pain. We craft a treatment plan, which can incorporate nonsurgical or surgical options, including minimally invasive procedures for faster healing.
Spinal conditions we treat
Our spine doctors in Richmond treat cervical (neck), thoracic (middle back) and lumbar (lower back) conditions. Some of these include:
- Bone spurs
- Fractures
- Degenerative disc disease
- Herniated discs
- Infections
- Myelopathy
- Osteoarthritis
- Sciatica
- Severe back pain
- Spinal curvature
- Spinal stenosis
- Spinal tumors/cancers
- Spondylolisthesis
- Sports injuries
- Traumatic injuries
Treatments in our spine care program
The right approach for your spine depends on your condition. We offer both surgical and nonsurgical options to help you heal and regain mobility.
Nonsurgical spine treatments
We fully support and prioritize nonsurgical treatment if it can ease your symptoms and resolve your condition. Your nonsurgical options may include:
- Nerve stimulation — using small electrodes that send electrical impulses to the affected area to block pain signals
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation — working off a personalized physical therapy regimen from one of our specialists
- Spinal injections — with pain and inflammation-reducing medications injected into the spine
Spine surgery
If surgical care is a recommended treatment, our neurosurgeons may perform:
- Disc replacement surgery — replacing a damaged disc in the cervical or lumbar area with an artificial one
- Discectomy/microdiscectomy — removing all or part of an abnormal disc (the cushion between vertebrae)
- Foraminotomy — removing bone or tissue to open the space where the nerves leave the spinal canal
- Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty — injecting medical cement into the spine to treat a fracture, ease pain or restore height
- Laminectomy/laminotomy — removing the back of one or more vertebrae to relieve pressure on spinal nerves
- Spinal fusion — joining two vertebrae using bone grafts and sometimes implants, such as rods and screws, to improve the stability of the spine
Before your spinal surgery, you may choose to attend a one-on-one preoperative class with our nurse navigator. In this class, you'll learn how to prepare for surgery and what to expect during your recovery.
Robot-assisted spine surgery
Our spine surgeons use robot-assisted technology for a variety of back surgeries. The robotic tools improve precision and allow our surgeons to use only a few small incisions. This approach causes less trauma to surrounding muscles and tissues, which results in shorter operations, less postoperative pain and a faster recovery. With a robot-assisted surgery, you will typically go home within a day or two.
Looking for a location?
Our Spine care Locations
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