Neck & Back Care

At Midwest Orthopaedic Center, your doctor will perform an in-depth assessment to determine the cause of your neck or back pain. Your doctor may request an X-ray or MRI at our in-house facility to get a closer look at your situation. After reviewing the images as well as your symptoms, they will diagnose your condition and propose the best treatments available to you. These may include lifestyle adjustments, medications, injections, braces and immobilizations, physical therapy and surgery. Your doctor will also recommend actions you can take and activities you should avoid to help hasten your recovery.

Neck and back issues can be caused by a wide range factors, including physical activity, injury, trauma, degenerative disks, nerve damage and infections. Injuries and chronic conditions that may have healed over time can be reinjured through strenuous movements, such as exercising without stretching beforehand or by improperly lifting heavy objects.

There are several small steps you can take to limit pain in your spine. As much as possible, sleep on your back using a supportive pillow. When texting or reading your cell phone, try holding it at eye level so you don’t crane your neck. For the same reason, keep your computer monitor raised to eye level. Also, find more time to put your electronic devices away, so you can stretch and exercise.

By staying limber and getting the blood flowing, you’ll limit the chance of injuring yourself in your day-to-day life and you may feel better as well. Plus, staying hydrated will help your body function in peak condition and make your vertebral disks stronger and more flexible.

Neck and back pain is a common problem, experienced by most people. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for a constant, nagging ache in your spine. If you’re feeling neck or back stiffness, it could be a sign that you’ve pulled a muscle –– caused by something as simple as poor posture. However, if you suffer from a shooting pain, numbness, weakness or tingling in your extremities, a more serious issue could be at play. Regardless, if your neck or back no longer feels like it used to, call Midwest Orthopaedic Center to schedule an appointment with one of our spine specialists.

Typically, your doctor will first treat your back and neck pain with medication or injections that reduce inflammation in the spine and relax the surrounding tissue. Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy, such as massage or heat and cold therapy. However, if these treatments are no longer helping, or if your neck has lost significant strength, nerve issues are impacting your mobility, your spine is under pressure or you’ve experienced a sudden complication that requires immediate action, your doctor may recommend surgery. This will include a care strategy that keeps your overall health in mind and ensures you’re fully aware of what to expect in terms of operative and post-operative care.

For spine patients, we offer minimally invasive, robotic-assisted operations at our dedicated surgical facility, Midwest Orthopaedic Hospital at UnityPoint Health – Proctor. Using the Mazor X Surgery Stealth Edition robotic guidance system, our surgeons perform targeted procedures that adjust injured disks, remove damaged tissue and help realign your spine.

Thanks to 3D mapping technology, extensive planning features and built-in safeguards, the Mazor X system minimizes the chance for complications while providing patients with a straightforward path toward recovery.