Back pain is the second most common reason people go to the doctor. Fortunately, only 10% of people with back pain will need back surgery because most back problems are successfully resolved with non-surgical and minimally invasive treatments. The goal of any treatment — non-surgical or surgical — is to reduce pain, limit further degeneration and get you back to normal activities as soon as possible.
If you begin to feel pain from performing your everyday activities such as walking or working, it may be time to seek professional care. The majority of back and neck problems can be treated nonoperatively. In fact, MemorialCare Spine Health Center at Orange Coast Medical Center has a leading spine surgery program that is typically considered when non-surgical and minimally invasive treatments have failed to provide relief.
“Orange Coast Medical Center always has its patients’ concerns and best interests at heart,” says Jason R. Koh, D.O., triage physician, Spine Health Center, MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center. “Our non-surgical program prides itself on helping people manage their back pain without the use of opioids. Our program has been 99.9% opioid free for over seven years.”
Physicians at the MemorialCare Spine Health Center at Orange Coast Medical Center use a combination of physical therapy, exercise therapies, stretching and other holistic approaches to help patients relieve their back pain. Most patients do well with a conservative approach like physical therapy, occupational therapy or medication.
The first step in the Spine Health Center’s spine treatment process is to have the patient speak with a spine concierge to obtain a detailed medical history, collect any recent diagnostic images and test results, and schedule an appointment with our spine physician specialist. The spine physician specialist will then perform a full physical assessment to determine the best course of treatment.
Once the physical assessment is complete, a navigator will assist with setting up the prescribed care plan. Patients have a variety of experts and resources at their fingertips such as rehabilitation medicine specialists (physiatrists), pain management specialists, physical therapists, radiologists, neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons.
When conservative measures are not enough, the MemorialCare Spine Health Center at Orange Coast Medical Center has leading surgical outcomes, from highly skilled surgeons in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery. In addition, the Spine Health Center offers procedures, such as kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty, to treat patients with scoliosis and spinal compression fractures caused by osteoporosis. All patients are provided with a pre-operation education class and a guidebook to help them effectively navigate and manage their surgery and recovery process.
“The surgical component at the Spine Health Center is second-to-none, giving patients back quality of life after surgery” says Devin K. Binder, M.D., neurosurgeon and medical director, Neuroscience Institute, MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center. “Our pre-operative education course gives patients an overview of the entire spine surgery process, from proper pre-operative care, what the treatment will look like for the duration of the hospital stay, and rehabilitation services for a quick, healthy recovery.”