Your Patient Journey
Your Patient Journey serves as a unique patient education and advocacy initiative that aspires to prevent injuries, help patients achieve improved spinal health, strengthen provider-patient relationships, and reduce the uncertainty and anxiety experienced by those suffering from spinal injuries and disorders. Through the cooperation of our Medical & Scientific Advisory Board, Board of Directors, and Centers of Excellence, we are able to apply an unmatched level of medical expertise to these issues, resulting in meaningful and accessible information that will help patients overcome their challenges and achieve improved spinal health.
PREVENT AND IDENTIFY SYMPTOMS OF BACK AND NECK PAIN.
Prevention: Behavior and lifestyle factors that help prevent back and neck pain.
- Posture: Proper spinal alignment helps to alleviate and prevent back pain.
- Workplace Ergonomics: Maintaining a healthy back and neck at the office.
- Safe Lifting: Avoid back pain with stress reducing practices.
- Relax: Avoid back pain with stress reducing practices
- Sleeping: Identify the best ways to sleep for a healthy back.
- Smoking: Understand the impact that smoking has on bone density, disc health, connective tissues, and more.
- Nutrition and Weight Control: Maintaining a healthful weight and good nutrition assists in back pain prevention and reduces stress on the spine.
- Exercise: A commitment to fitness helps prevent back pain and speed recovery if pain does occur.
- Physical Therapy for Prevention: Consider physical therapy before pain occurs to avoid back and neck pain from occurring at all.
- Spine Specialists: A guide for choosing a medical professional that fits your needs.
UNDERSTAND CONDITIONS AND HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH PROVIDERS.
Choosing a Specialist: Identify the best spine specialists for you.
Conditions: Learn more about your spinal health condition.
- Disc Degeneration: The aging process of the discs in the spine that can be either minor discomfort or inhibiting pain.
- Facet Syndrome: Inflammation of the facet joints that are located between the vertebrae in your spine.
- Herniated Disc: Wear and tear of the spine over the years.
- Spondylolisthesis: Pain caused by one bone in the back sliding in front of the bone below it.
- Stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal column resulting in varying degrees of discomfort.
- Diagnostic Procedures: Understand the different testing and imaging techniques.
EXPLORE TREATMENT OPTIONS THAT WORK.
Non-Surgical Treatment: Available alternatives to surgical treatment.
- Acupuncture: The stimulation of anatomical points on the body using various techniques.
- Aquatic Therapy: Aquatic therapy assists in developing core strength and can support pain reduction and healing.
- Chiropractic: A qualified, reputable chiropractor can be used under certain circumstances to assist in back and neck pain treatment.
- Ice or Heat?: Choosing between ice and heat for injuries depends on the type of injury and also personal preferences.
- Injections: Injections performed by a specialists can result in pain reduction without surgical intervention.
- Medications: Different types of medications can assist in spinal pain alleviation, although are not a singular treatment option.
- Physical Therapy: Inflammation management, improved mobility, and return to functional movement are all part of physical therapy.
- Regenerative Therapy: Allows the body to heal from within by rejuvenating and regenerating cells, replacing damaged tissue, and restoring function.
Surgical Treatment: Surgical options available to alleviate back and neck pain.
- Deciding to have Surgery: Determine if surgery is the path for you.
- Preparing for Surgery: A guide for patients on what to do to making surgery easier and less stressful.
- Artificial Disc Replacement: An artificial disc is designed to closely replicate a real disc and its functions.
- Fusion: The joining of two vertebraes in the spine.
- Laminotomy/Laminectomy: Surgery performed to alleviate pressure on spinal nerves and/or spinal cord.
- Laminoplasty: Surgery which allows more room to the spinal cord in the neck when it is compressed by disc material, bone spurs, or ligaments.
- Microdisectomy: With a small incision, professionals are able to alleviate nerve pain.
- Minimally Invasive Surgery: Technical innovations and advances allow surgeons to perform less invasive surgery resulting in quicker recoveries and less complications in patients.
DISCOVER RESOURCES AND WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY.
- FAQ: Answers to common questions post-surgery.
- Caregiver Support: Useful information on how to care for and support a loved one.
CELEBRATE YOUR STORY BECAUSE YOU ARE A SPINAL CHAMPION!
Our Spinal Champion program provides relief from the emotional and physical challenges that spinal patients face. We are pioneering patient support initiatives that bring together spinal patients, allowing them to share their experiences, offer support, and find strength and comfort in others who are battling similar challenges.
Spinal Champion: A person who has achieved an improved quality of life through treatment for neck or back pain.
The moment you step foot into one of our Center of Excellence, their team will work collaboratively to support you in achieving the goal of becoming a Spinal Champion. Join the We’ve Got Your Back campaign and celebrate with others by participating in one of our events!
Share Your Story: We love to hear from our Spinal Champions – your stories will inspire, teach, and provide hope for others. No story is too small; each journey to recovery is equally powerful and helps build awareness and hope. Celebrate your success while inspiring others and share your story!