Do people with early heart disease have symptoms?
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Spine surgery
Neurosurgeons at Ascension Illinois offer advanced spine surgery to treat neck and back injuries and conditions. Schedule a consultation.
Spine surgery in Chicagoland
Neurosurgeons at Ascension Illinois offer advanced spine surgery to treat neck and back injuries and conditions. Schedule a consultation.
Why choose Ascension Illinois for spine surgery
Experienced neurosurgeons at Ascension Illinois diagnose and treat many types of neck and back injuries and conditions. Your neurosurgeon works with a team of specialists and is part of an integrated national network of doctors, sharing best practices, knowledge and research while delivering advanced care close to home. Your care team has the expertise to help find the cause of your symptoms and deliver a treatment plan that helps relieve pain, increase movement and improve your quality of life. And, we connect you with advanced rehabilitation and support after surgery.
Spine conditions
Spine surgery may be an option if you have chronic back or neck pain that hasn’t gotten better with other treatment, such as injections, medication or noninvasive therapy. Your doctor works with you to create a personalized care plan.
Some spinal conditions that may require surgery include:
- Back pain
- Broken vertebra
- Cervical disk disease
- Herniated disk
- Infection
- Neck pain
- Sciatica (nerve pain in your lower back and down your leg)
- Scoliosis (curved spine) and other spinal deformities
- Spine infection
- Spinal instability (spondylolisthesis)
- Spinal stenosis or narrowing of the spinal canal
- Spinal tumor
- Spondylosis (age related degeneration of the spine)
Minimally-invasive spine surgery
When spine surgery is recommended as part of your care plan, experienced neurosurgeons at Ascension Illinois use the latest spine surgery techniques. Whenever possible, minimally invasive procedures are recommended, which use smaller incisions and may lead to less pain and a shorter recovery.
Types of spine surgery include:
- Cervical spine surgery
- Disk replacement
- Lumbar spine surgery
- Minimally invasive spine surgery
- Peripheral nerve surgery
- Removal of spinal tumors
- Robotic spine surgery
- Scoliosis surgery
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Spinal deformity correction surgery
- Spinal fusion surgery
- Spinal radiosurgery
From preparation for surgery through recovery, you’re connected with specialists in physical rehabilitation. We focus on neurorehabilitation therapies to help safely increase your muscular strength and flexibility.
Preparing for spine surgery
Your neurosurgeon will talk with you before surgery to help you prepare for your procedure. You may need to stop taking some medications, such as blood thinners and aspirin, before the procedure. If you smoke, you’ll need to stop smoking before surgery. Talk with your doctor about the right diet and exercise before your surgery to best support your recovery. Your care team will also tell you about any restrictions for eating and drinking before surgery.
What to expect after spine surgery
After surgery, your physical therapist will evaluate your needs, create a care plan for rehabilitation and make sure you’re prepared to go home. Your therapist will also help you with walking devices such as a cane or walker, if needed. Working with you and your care team, your physical therapist can help determine the level of physical therapy you may need to recover.
Get a second opinion
If you have questions about your diagnosis or treatment plan, a second opinion can help you better understand your options. Our specialists can review your medical records and history to provide an additional perspective. Before your appointment, check with your insurance provider to find out if a second opinion is covered. We can request your medical records from your doctor on your behalf so they can be shared before your visit.
Providers: Refer a patient
Referring your patients is simple and hassle-free. Send your patient’s medical records, and we'll take it from there — keeping you in the loop throughout the process while ensuring your patient gets the advanced care they need.
Financial assistance and support is available
We can connect you with resources and programs that may be able to help you and your family with options for financial assistance. Our financial counseling team is here to listen to your concerns and work with you to help find options that meet your needs.
Insurance coverage for surgery
Talk with your doctor or insurance provider about insurance coverage options for having spine surgery. Surgery may be covered by various insurance plans as well as Medicare. First, you may need to be evaluated by a neurosurgeon.
Frequently asked questions about spine surgery
Back and neck pain can range from a mild, dull ache to persistent, severe and disabling pain that may radiate down your arms or legs. Neurosurgeons at Ascension Illinois specialize in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of back and neck pain. Our goal is to help find the cause of your pain and provide the right care for you.
For many people, the causes of back and neck pain include overuse, trauma or injury, infection, abnormal growth, obesity, muscle strain, muscle or ligament tears, joint problems, smoking, slipped disk, osteoporosis and more.
Talk to your doctor about back and neck pain if you have:
- Pain lasting more than two weeks
- Pain after an injury or fall
- Severe pain that does not go away with rest and medication
- Weakness, numbness or tingling in your arms or legs
- Unintentional and unexplained weight loss
- A fever over 100.4°F
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
Your care plan to address your back and neck pain may include therapy or surgical options. Your care team at Ascension Illinois focuses on rehabilitation therapies to safely increase your muscular strength and flexibility. Certain exercises, anti-inflammatory medicines, braces or injections may help relieve pain. When surgery is needed, your doctor will discuss your surgical treatment options. There are many different types of surgery to treat back pain. Your doctor will recommend a surgical care plan that’s right for you.
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