Injuries, Symptoms & Treatments

Neck & Spine

What a pain in the neck your aching back pain is!

Almost everyone will experience back and neck pain at some point in their lives. This pain varies from one person to the next. It can range from mild to severe, and can be short-lived or long-lasting. 

 

Just getting older also plays a role in many back and neck conditions. As we age, our spines age with us. Aging causes degenerative changes that can start in our 30s — or even younger — and can make us prone to back and neck pain, especially if we overdo our activities. These aging changes, however, do not keep most people from leading productive, and generally, pain-free lives. We have all seen the 70-year-old marathon runner who, without a doubt, has degenerative changes in their back!

 

Understanding your spine and how it works can help you better understand some of the problems that occur from aging or injury.

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Use the convenient search tool to find information on orthpedic conditions and treatments offered by our practice.. his assures that the information you are researching has been confirmed by Dr. Bellapianta as well as The American Academy of Orthpaedic Surgeons.

Diseases/Conditions of the Neck & Spine

Neck Pain
Neck Sprain
Arthritis of the Neck
Cervical Fracture
Spinal Cord Compression
Burners & Stingers
Low Back Pain
Herniated Disk
Pinched Nerve
Spondylolysis
Neck Pain

Cervical Disk Degeneration (Spondylosis)

 

In cervical disk degeneration (which typically occurs in people 40 and older), the normal jelly-like center of the disk degenerates, and the space between the vertebrae narrows. As the disk space narrows, added stress is applied to the joints of the spine causing further wear and degenerative disease.

 

The cervical disk may also protrude and put pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots when the outer rim of the disk weakens. This is known as a herniated cervical disk. Cervical disk herniation can lead to pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the arms and legs.

 

 

Cause

 

Neck pain may result from abnormalities in the soft tissues — the muscles, ligaments, and nerves — as well as in bones and disks of the spine. The most common causes of neck pain are soft-tissue (muscle and ligament) abnormalities due to injury (a strain or sprain) or prolonged wear and tear (commonly known as arthritis). In rare instances, infection or tumors may cause neck pain. In some people, neck problems may be the source of pain in the upper back, shoulders, or arms.

Content by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 

Neck Sprain
Arthritis of the Neck
Cervical Fracture
Spinal Cord Compression
Burners & Stingers
Low Back Pain
Herniated Disk
Pinched Nerve
Spondylolysis

Whiplash

A common neck injury that happens when your neck jerks back and forth quickly and violently be nding your spine past its normal range of motion. 

Sciatica

An irritation or compression of one or more nerve roots in the lumbar spine, causing symptoms in he hips, buttocks, legs and feet.

Stenosis

Your spinal nerves travel through your spinal canal and exit through openings called "foramen." If any of these spaces are too narrow, your nerves become compressed. 

Herniated Disk

A damaged disc's soft center can push through the disc wall-that's a herniated disc. This bulge presses against nerves in your spine causing pain and discomfort.

Common Treatments of the Neck & Spine

Epidural Injections
Nerve Blocks
Plasma Therapy
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Cervical Fusion
Epidural Injections

Epidural Steroid Injection Treatment

 

Epidural steroid injections (ESIs) are a common treatment option for many forms of lower back pain and leg pain. They have been used for decades and are considered an integral part of the nonsurgical management of sciatica and lower back pain.

 

The injection is named an epidural steroid injection because it involves injecting a local anesthetic and a steroid medication directly into the epidural space that surrounds the spinal cord and nerve roots.

 

The goals of an epidural steroid injection are to:

 

  • Control pain by reducing inflammation in and around the nerve roots
  • Improve mobility and function in the lower back and legs1
  • Allow the patient to participate in and make progress with a comprehensive physical therapy and rehabilitation program
  • In the course of one’s care program, in most cases, an epidural steroid injection may be recommended after a series of nonsurgical treatments, such as medications and physical therapy,2 have been tried, and before surgery is considered.
  • The role of the injection is typically to provide sufficient pain relief to allow a return to everyday activities and to make progress in physical therapy.

 

 

Benefits

 

Most practitioners will agree that an epidural injection can be beneficial during an acute episode of back and/or leg pain. The main drawbacks of the injections are that they are not always effective, and when effective, the pain relief tends to be temporary, ranging from one week to one year. Typically, if the initial injection is effective, up to 3 injections may be given in one year.

 

When administered in the lumbar epidural space, steroid injections may have the following benefits:

 

  • Reduce nerve pain and inflammation. Steroids decrease the production of inflammatory chemicals and reduce the sensitivity of nerve fibers to pain, generating fewer pain signals.
  • Limit oral medication. Pain relief from these injections may help limit or eliminate the need for oral medications,4 some of which may have side effects when taken long-term.
  • Continue or re-engage in physical therapy. This injection may provide sufficient pain relief to allow a patient to progress with a rehabilitative physical therapy program.1
  • Postpone surgery. Pain relief experienced from lumbar epidural steroid injections may help postpone surgery, and if physical therapy is effective, it may eliminate the need for surgical intervention.

 

 

Effectiveness

 

Available research indicates generally favorable results, with 70% to 90% of patients experiencing pain relief from these injections, lasting for a week to a year. If a good first response is seen, a second injection may be considered when the improvement from the first injection begins to taper off. Typically, up to 3 injections may be given over a 12-month period.

 

 

Uses

 

Lumbar epidural injections are typically used in the treatment of conditions that cause irritation and/or inflammation of spinal nerve roots with associated lower back and leg pain. Most common lower back conditions treated include:

 

  • Lumbar Herniated disc(s)
  • Lumbar Degenerative disc disease
  • Lumbar Spinal stenosis

 

Less commonly, localized back pain (axial back pain) and neurogenic claudication (back pain and leg pain that occurs while walking) may be treated with these injections.

Content by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 

Nerve Blocks
Plasma Therapy
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Cervical Fusion

PRB Therapy

Platelet rich plasma therapy can help injured joints and other problems. It uses parts of your own blood to reduce pain and speed up healing.

Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cell therapy uses parts of your own blood to help repair disc damage. It can slow disc degeneration and may help you avoid surgery.

Epidural Steroid Injection

This injection treats the pain of an inflamed nerve in your cervical spine and relieves nerve swelling.

Nerve Block

This injection targets a painful nerve in your cervical spine and helps find which nerve is pressed on by a herniated disc, spinal stenosis or some other problem.

Experience the latest in orthopedic care 

We offer the latest in non-invasive treatments including Regenerative Cell and Platelet Rich Injections.