Spine care in Minnesota

Whether the pain in your spine is recent or you are dealing with pain from an old injury, understanding the cause and getting you the right care is our top priority. We want to help you get back to doing the things you enjoy.

There are many people like you who just want to know why the pain in their neck, back or spine just won’t go away. Why is there numbness, weakness, tingling or electric shocks in the arms, hands, legs or feet that come with the spine pain? For most people, these symptoms are due to the spine gradually wearing out like how other joints in the body wear out (the knees, wrists, hips, etc.). The spine is the longest set of joints in your body and undergoes arthritis like other joints.

At HealthPartners and Park Nicollet, we are committed to answering your questions and getting you back to what you love as quickly as possible. We will match you with the right specialist and create a treatment plan that makes sense. Most people will get better without surgery. But if it’s needed, we’ll connect you with one of our trusted board-certified surgeons. We work hard to deliver on your expectations and get it right.

Symptoms of a spine condition are more than a sudden ache in your back. While everyone experiences slightly different symptoms, common symptoms of a spine condition include:

• Persistent dull pain or ache in the back or neck

• Persistent stiffness or tightness in the back, neck or shoulders

• Pain that spreads to the arms or legs

• Sharp or stabbing pain in the back or neck

• Unexplained muscle weakness or numbness in the arms or legs

• Abnormal posture, such as forward tilting of the spine or forward bending of the neck

Diagnosing a spine condition commonly begins with a physical exam. During the physical exam, we’ll listen to your symptoms, take a medical history and examine the part of your body causing you pain. Occasionally, additional tests may be needed to confirm your diagnosis. Common tests include:

If additional tests are needed, imaging tests are the most common. This is a type of non-invasive test that uses radio waves, magnetic fields and small amounts of radiation to create a picture of the inside of your body. Common types of imaging tests include X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and computed tomography (CT) scans.

Our experienced specialists will work with you to develop a treatment plan that is personalized to your needs. In many cases, therapy and activity can solve your spine problem without the need for surgery.

Our first goal is to help you heal without surgery, but if it’s necessary, we work closely with our top spine surgeons and rehabilitation teams to provide you with all levels of spine care.

Active therapy is commonly used to treat a variety of spine conditions including back pain and muscle strain.

Rehabilitation focuses on using exercise and other techniques to improve how your body functions and relieve pain. Leveraging our advanced rehabilitation facilities, we can work with you to create a plan that fits your ability and fitness level.

It’s common for rehabilitation programs to include a combination of:

A doctor or physical therapist will guide you through exercises that target the muscles in your back, shoulders, core or other muscle groups. By strengthening the muscles that support your spine, your back or neck pain might be alleviated.

It’s common for your body to produce scar tissue after a spine injury that reduces your mobility and causes pain. We’ll guide you through targeted stretches that can help improve your range of motion and release tense muscles that are causing pain.

Every patient is different, and we work hard to find the treatment that will work for you. For some patients, interventional spine procedures may be used to treat and manage back pain and spine conditions. They include:

• Epidural steroids
• Facet joint injections
• Ablation procedures
• Spinal cord stimulation

If surgery is recommended as a part of your treatment plan, you’re in excellent hands. Our surgical specialists are skilled in all types of spine surgery, from minimally invasive procedures to complex surgeries. Our state-of-the-art operating rooms are equipped with the latest technology, including C-arm, intraoperative MRI, computer-guided surgery and more.

Before surgery, we’ll explain everything you need to know in a way that’s easy to understand. We’re here to answer questions, help you prepare ahead of time and plan your recovery.

After surgery, your recovery is our first priority. If needed, you’ll regain mobility with the help of our onsite rehabilitation facility and outpatient clinics so you can return to function and get back to living your life.