Back & Spine Care

When you need relief from back or neck pain, stay in the Howell County area while taking advantage of the latest and best techniques. You’ll meet with an experienced, fellowship-trained spine surgeon who uses the same advanced treatments and technology you’d find in large cities. Find out how Ozarks Healthcare can help you improve your quality of life.

Conditions We Treat

Visit us for specialized care of:

Herniated disc – Cushion that slips out of its position between the vertebrae (bones in your spine)
Radiculopathy – Pinched nerve root in the spine that causes pain, numbness, or weakness elsewhere in the body
- Cervical (neck) radiculopathy – Affects your arms or hands
- Lumbar radiculopathy (sciatica) – Affects your lower back and sometimes sends pain down your leg
Spinal fractures – Broken vertebrae
Spinal stenosis – Narrowed spine that puts painful pressure on cervical nerves, thoracic (mid-back) nerves, or lumbar (lower back) nerves

Your Care Journey

Start by making an appointment with your primary care doctor or our spine specialist. Expect to talk about your pain, get a physical exam, and review your health history.

Your doctor may first recommend several weeks of physical therapy. You’ll learn stretches, exercises, and lifestyle changes to relieve your symptoms.

If rehabilitation doesn’t help enough, you may get an order for an MRI or another imaging test to look for problems in your spine. Depending on the results, your doctor might discuss pain management techniques, such as:

Cortisone injections – Deliver pain-relieving steroids directly to your spine
Spinal cord stimulator – Gives you a small device you use to send gentle, pain-relieving electrical signals to your spine

Back Surgery

If you don’t get enough relief from nonsurgical approaches, talk to our spine specialist about surgical options. You may benefit from our use of:

Minimally invasive spinal decompression – Affects your back muscles less than traditional, open surgery and makes recovery shorter and easier
Computer navigation system – Leads to more precise care that supports a better outcome

Less-Invasive Decompression for Lumbar Stenosis

Decompression surgery eases painful pressure on nerves in your lower back. This minimally invasive treatment uses a smaller incision than open surgery. You’ll be able to go home the same day, which means your care will be more affordable and convenient.

By treating lumbar stenosis early with decompression, you may also help prevent more invasive back surgery later in life.

Spinal Fusion With Computer Navigation

Fusion is open surgery that welds two vertebrae (spine bones) together to prevent one of them from moving painfully. During lumbar or thoracic fusion, your surgeon uses computer navigation to see detailed, 3D images of your spine. This helps the surgeon place surgical screws in just the right place to safely hold two vertebrae together. You’ll spend less time in the operating room and wake up sooner after surgery.

Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion (ACDF)

If you feel pain due to a pinched nerve in your neck, your surgeon may recommend a procedure that involves both:

Anterior cervical discectomy – Removes a damaged disc (cushion between spine bones) to release the trapped nerve
Cervical fusion – Uses a bone graft to stabilize and strengthen the area where the disc used to be

ACDF is open surgery.

Recovery & Follow-Up Care After Spine Surgery

You’ll likely need to stay overnight in the hospital if your surgery involves spinal fusion. No matter your procedure, you’ll receive pain medicine to make you more comfortable during the first couple of weeks. To make sure you’re recovering well, see your surgeon for follow-up appointments beginning a week after surgery.

Your surgeon might recommend physical therapy within six to 12 weeks after treatment to help you regain strength and range of motion. You may be able to start returning to your daily activities: