Key Takeaways
- Spine issues can be seen by both orthopedic and neurosurgery spine specialists.
- Orthopedic surgeons treat spinal conditions related to musculoskeletal issues, along with the spine, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.
- Neurosurgeons treat spinal conditions linked to the brain, spine, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.
Our spinal specialists create personalized treatments to address your pain to provide lasting relief. With advanced techniques and a patient-centered approach, we help you find the right path to recovery.
From chronic conditions to acute injuries, spine problems are treated by specialists on a regular basis. Some of these problems are treated by orthopedic spine surgeons, while others are treated by neurosurgeons. In some cases, patients experiencing issues with their spine could be treated by either type of doctor.
M. Gordon Whitbeck, Jr., MD, FAAOS, serves as Executive Medical Director of RRH Orthopedic & Sports Medicine, and Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rochester General Hospital. He provides insight into how spine specialists can help patients in need.
How orthopedic surgeons help back and neck pain
Orthopedics is a surgical specialty focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of injuries and diseases related to the musculoskeletal system as well as to the spine, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.
Rochester Regional Health Orthopedic Spine Surgery specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of the entire spectrum of spinal disorders. These disorders include spinal stenosis, herniated disc, cervical and thoracic myelopathy, radiculopathy, spinal cord injury, spine fractures, spinal deformity (scoliosis & kyphosis), spine infections, and spine tumors.
“Providers with Rochester Regional Health Orthopaedic Spine Surgery have all completed fellowship training in spine surgery and are committed to providing comprehensive nonsurgical as well as surgical care for patients of all ages with spinal disorders,” Dr. Whitbeck said. “They are highly trained and have a wealth of experience in the surgical treatment of simple and complex spinal pathology.”
How neurosurgeons help back and neck pain
Neurology is a medical specialty focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of injuries and disease related to the nervous system - the brain, spine, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.
The nervous system has two main parts: the central nervous system (brain and spine) and the peripheral nervous system (nerves connecting the brain and spine to the rest of the body).
With our neurosurgery team, neurologists and neurosurgeons treat a variety of conditions, injuries, and disorders that can affect either part – or both parts – of the nervous system. Ranging from acute to chronic conditions, neurology specialists will provide care for the spine, brain, head, peripheral nerves, pituitary gland, and back.
The neurosurgical team at Rochester Regional Health is exceptionally skilled and well experienced, performing more than 1,600 successful surgeries each year. We will take a comprehensive look at what you are going through, then work together to determine the best course of action to get you on the road to healing.
General spine, back, and neck pain
Since there is significant overlap between the specialties, most spine conditions can be treated by either orthopedic spine surgery or neurosurgery specialists.
Some of those might be:
- Chronic pain
- Herniated discs
- Low back pain
- Myelopathy
- Neck pain
- Radiculopathy
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Spinal cord compression
- Spinal cord injury
- Spinal deformities
- Spinal fractures and trauma
Ask your primary care provider about scheduling an appointment with the specialty that is right for you. Whether the choice is orthopedics spine surgery or neurosurgery, we are equipped with some of the best trained and most highly qualified providers in the country. You will be in good hands.
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