Non-Surgical Spine Care

We offer expert physical therapy and pain management procedures to help you avoid spine surgery.

To learn more about our services or schedule an appointment, call:

Learn about our services or schedule an appointment

Memorial Rehabilitation Institute provides world-class care for spine conditions. You’ll find a wide range of non-surgical treatments and a caring team that puts your needs first.

Our Approach to Non-Surgical Spine Care

When it comes to back and neck pain, spine surgery isn’t always the best option. In fact, many back and neck conditions are treatable with non-surgical approaches. That’s where the specialists at Memorial Rehabilitation Institute come in.

Physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors with additional training in pain management work closely with neurosurgeons in our Spine Center to evaluate patients and determine the right treatment path. Whenever possible, the team recommends conservative treatments over spine surgery. And at Memorial Rehabilitation Institute — ranked among the best in the U.S. — you’re in skilled hands.

Conditions We Treat

We offer non-surgical treatments for the many conditions that cause back and neck pain. From herniated discs, nerve pain and spinal injuries to scoliosis and complex spinal deformities, we have options for you.

Looking for a Second Opinion?

If you’re not satisfied with the care you’ve received elsewhere and would like a second opinion, we’ll provide one. You can trust that our multidisciplinary team will conduct a thorough assessment and provide you with a customized treatment plan.

Your peace of mind is important. Let us help you consider all your treatment options.

Types of Non-Surgical Spine Treatments

At Memorial, you have access to a comprehensive selection of therapies and pain management procedures. They may be part of your care as an alternative to surgery or after surgery to help you heal.

Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy is typically one of the first strategies we recommend for spine conditions. It uses a customized plan of exercises and other treatments to reduce pain and improve strength and flexibility.

You perform exercises during in-office sessions with a physical therapist and at home. During sessions, your physical therapist may also use:

Guided movements to improve your mobility
Heat and cold therapy
Massage
Mild electrical stimulation, such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

Non-opioid Pain Medications

Our pain management doctors prescribe different types of non-opioid medications to ease pain and promote healing. Your doctor may recommend one or more types. They work with you to find the type and dose that works best while minimizing side effects.

Medications we prescribe for spine conditions include:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications to reduce inflammation in muscles, around discs and in arthritic spinal joints
Muscle relaxants to release tight muscles and spasms
Nerve pain medications to lessen pain-related nerve signals

Back and Neck Braces

Various braces are available for your lower back, upper back and neck. They provide support, which helps to reduce pain.

One common type is a corset-style brace that wraps around your abdomen to support your lower back. Other braces are designed to improve the alignment of your upper back. Our specialists prescribe braces based on your condition and needs.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture involves inserting fine needles at specific points in your body. The needles stimulate your nervous system, releasing chemicals that reduce pain and control nerve signals. They also increase blood flow around the area, which can aid healing.

Studies show acupuncture is safe, and many people find it highly effective for pain relief. Often, we combine acupuncture with other non-surgical therapies for a multifaceted approach.

Back Pain Injections

We use injections to place anti-inflammatory or painkilling (anesthetic) medications in precise areas around the spine or spinal cord to lessen pain. In some cases, we use injections to help determine the source of pain.

Injections are usually not a long-term solution. However, they can relieve pain so that you can participate in physical therapy and home exercises. The main types of injections we use are:

Epidural steroid injections into the tissue around the spinal cord to reduce inflammation
Nerve block injections to interrupt pain signals traveling from the affected nerve to the brain

Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure to block nerve signals. The doctor inserts a hollow needle into the affected nerve. Real-time X-ray guidance helps ensure precise placement of the needle. Then, they insert an electrode into the top of the needle. The electrode delivers radio waves through the needle to heat and destroy the nerve tissue.

Spinal Cord Stimulation

A spinal cord stimulator is a medical device your doctor implants using minimally invasive surgery. It consists of two parts: thin wires called leads with electrodes at the tip, and a battery-powered pulse generator.

Your doctor places the electrodes in the space around your spinal cord and implants the generator under the skin near your waistline. The generator sends a continuous or pulsing electrical current that stimulates the spinal cord and disrupts pain signals.