Spine

The spine is one of the most complex and important systems in the human body. The spinal column is the body’s main support structure. Its thirty-three bones, called vertebrae, are divided into five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal.

The medical treatment of spinal injuries and diseases requires an equally intricate knowledge of several disciplines, including orthopedics, neurology, chiropractic, vascular, and others. To offer the best possible level of spine care for our patients, Florida Orthopaedic Institute has developed a unique center of excellence totally and absolutely dedicated to the treatment of the spine.

Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s spine specialists focus on prevention, restoration of function, reduction in pain, and control of costs in developing any treatment for back pain. Education, exercise, medication, ultrasound, heat, massage, and chiropractic therapies are often applied as nonsurgical options to relieving spine pain. If nonsurgical approaches are not effective, the team is able to offer the latest advancements in state-of-the-art spine surgery.

Interventional Spine

The spine specialists of Florida Orthopaedic Institute understand how living with chronic spine pain can adversely affect your life. For this reason, the spine team of Florida Orthopaedic Institute applies the latest technology available for diagnosis and treatment of an array of painful spinal conditions.

Interventional treatment options are often more efficient and effective than traditional therapy for spine (back and neck) pain and discomfort. In addition, new interventional spine techniques are an exceptional, minimally invasive alternative to conventional surgery.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

If you have chronic back pain that has not responded to nonsurgical treatments, minimally invasive spine surgery may be a solution for you. Unlike an open spine procedure, minimally invasive spine surgery combines technological advances with state-of-the-art practices that reduce both the size of your incision as well as your hospital stay. Certain spine conditions respond very positively to this procedure as opposed to many conventional open spine surgeries. Minimally invasive spine surgery involves fewer risks than open spine surgeries.

The Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s spine specialists have both the experience and skill to perform the procedure safely and effectively. Since minimally invasive spine surgery is an extremely advanced technical procedure, our specialized surgeons are dedicated to continuing their knowledge of all up-to-date procedures and many are personally involved in assisting with the creation of new technologies.

Sciatica

Sciatica describes symptoms of pain, numbness, or weakness that spread from the sciatic nerve down the lower back to the buttocks and leg. Medically sciatica is termed lumbar radiculopathy. Sciatica is a symptom of an underlying condition, not a diagnosis.

Most sciatica symptoms result from lower back disorders (like a herniated disc pressing on a nerve root) that put pressure on or causes irritation to the sciatic nerve.
Sciatica can also occur when a disc degenerates – releasing inflammatory proteins that irritate the adjacent nerve. There are other additional causes of sciatica.

Symptoms are usually only felt on one side of the body, including a combination of leg and foot pain, weakness, tingling or numbness. Pain can be searing or sharp versus achy or throbbing. Symptoms are felt in different areas of the leg and into the foot, depending on where the sciatic nerve is compressed.