Sciatica is pain that begins in the lower back and radiates down one or both legs. The source of discomfort is an inflamed or damaged sciatic nerve in the lower back. One treatment for sciatica is surgery, but most patients would like to avoid that procedure if possible. Spine surgeon Dr. Charla...

Back pain is an extremely common problem that can cause a great deal of discomfort and disability. Whether the pain is chronic or acute, chances are that most people will experience some type of back pain in their lifetime. Injuries, age, overuse, degenerative conditions, poor posture and more are...

ACDF, or Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion, is a fancy name for a bone fusion procedure in your neck. The goal of this surgery is to remove a damaged disc in your neck or cervical spine and to perform a bone fusion to replace the damaged part. ACDF has a high success rate but should be...

The cervical spine is the top portion of the spine that makes up the neck. Cervical myelopathy is a condition in which the spinal cord becomes compressed. If untreated, it can cause the cervical spine to deteriorate and become even more painful or immobile. The more you know about cervical...

The bones in your spine, called vertebrae, are the building blocks of your back. There are many different problems that may develop with your spine and its many elements, and one of them is called spondylolisthesis. The root cause of discomfort is usually that one of the vertebrae has slipped out...

Not all back pain means that you are destined for surgery. Many patients find relief through conservative pain management, which means treating back or neck pain or other spinal conditions with non-surgical methods. It is not uncommon for pain and other symptoms to improve with one or more...

The spinal canal is like a tunnel along your spine that contains the nerves that travel along the spinal column and carry messages to other parts of the body. When the spinal canal narrows, the condition is called spinal stenosis. This painful condition may occur in each section of the spine,...

Spinal nerve compression is a term referring to any condition that places pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots along the spine. It may lead to pain, weakness or other neuromuscular problems, some of which can be severe. When the spinal canal narrows for any reason, it can cause painful...

Spinal fusion surgery has been a staple for patients needing surgery to correct chronic spinal pain or immobility. Fusing vertebrae together stabilizes the spine and can be very effective for relief, but medical experts are performing more and more artificial disc replacements as an alternative to...

One of the most common spinal surgeries, microdiscectomy targets patients with painful herniated discs. The goal of surgery is to remove the protruding or herniated disc fragment and any other tissues that might be compressing a nerve. Previously this was a major spine surgery that entailed a...