Spine and Back Pain
Recognized as a Spine Center of Excellence, Saint Mary’s Spine Program provides comprehensive services for patients suffering from the full range of spinal and back disorders. Conservative treatment approaches are employed first. If surgery is absolutely necessary, a wide range of procedures are offered. Saint Mary's Spine Program is the leading center in West Michigan for minimally invasive spine surgery for the treatment of lower and upper spine and back pain. Our multidisciplinary Spine Task Force continuously improves care and outcomes, places strong emphasis on medical management of spine/back care and offers rapid surgical consults as needed, as well as collaborative care with on-site rehabilitation specialists.
Outpatient Spine Clinic
If you are suffering from back pain, our Outpatient Spine Clinic provides evaluation and management of most spinal conditions. At the Spine Clinic, we evaluate and treat degenerative conditions such as arthritis, spinal stenosis, slipping vertebrae, and degenerative disc disease.
The Spine Clinic also addresses traumatic conditions including spinal fractures, disc herniations, and dislocations, which are evaluated and treated in conjunction with specialists in other disciplines. We educate all patients about the details of their condition, the range of treatment options available to them, and how they can implement an effective program of long-term self-care.
Saint Mary’s has also established a closely integrated relationship with physical medicine physicians and rehabilitation specialists at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital.
At Saint Mary’s, an exceptional level of collaboration exists between orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons. Both types of specialists are consulted for patients who are admitted to Saint Mary’s with spine trauma. A multidisciplinary Spine Task Force meets quarterly to analyze patient data in an effort to continuously improve care and outcomes. In addition, a multidisciplinary Clinical Spine Conference meets weekly to discuss the care of complex spinal patients.
Surgery
Conservative treatment approaches are employed first. If surgery is absolutely necessary, a wide range of procedures are offered. In addition to traditional procedures, microdiscectomy is performed, as well as complex surgeries for spinal fusion and stabilization utilizing specialized equipment and implants.
Minimally-invasive spine surgery is the newest and most technologically advanced surgical spine procedure, and Saint Mary’s is the only West Michigan hospital that offers this advanced option. Because there is far less trauma to muscles, tendons and ligaments during the surgery, there are multiple benefits for patients, including faster recovery time, reduced post-operative pain, shorter hospital stays and diminished blood loss.
Summary of Services
- Evaluations and treatments of degenerative conditions
- Outcome-driven care
- Minimally invasive spine surgery
- Physical and Occupational Therapy
- Physiatry
- Trigger point and small joint injections
- On-site spinal injections
- Complementary acupuncture, manual and massage therapies
- Diagnostics - CT, MRI and EMG