Spine Care
Persistent back or neck pain? You're not alone: experts estimate that nearly 80 percent of U.S. men and women will be affected by back and neck pain at some point in their lives. It can happen at home, at work and to just about anyone who sits too long or moves without proper body mechanics.
Whether you're suffering with recent or chronic pain, Northwest Health - Porter has your back. The board-certified surgeons on the medical staff are here to help you find relief for a wide range of conditions, including:
- Arm pain
- Degenerative disc disease
- Disc compression
- Fractured vertebrae
- Hand numbness
- Herniated discs
- Lower back pain
- Neck pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain
- Sciatica
- Spinal fractures/trauma
- Spinal stenosis
- Spinal tumors
- Spondylolisthesis
- Synovial cysts
Minially Invasive Techniques
Spine specialists at Northwest Health - Porter start with a non-surgical approach to care, including personalized rehabilitation programs. But when surgery is your best solution, we perform a wide range of minimally invasive options whenever possible.
Compared to traditional open surgery, these techniques require just a few smaller incisions—which may mean less pain and scarring, fewer complications and a faster recovery.
Specialties include:
- Balloon kyphoplasty: Used to repair fractures caused by osteoporosis or cancer, balloon kyphoplasty acts as an internal cast that provides rapid relief from back pain and improves spinal alignment. In this procedure, the surgeon inflates a small balloon within the fractured vertebra and inserts bone cement to restore the original size and shape of the vertebrae.
- Lumbar disc microsurgery: This procedure is used to treat herniated discs of the lower back. In this procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision above the damaged disc to remove the damaged portion, leaving healthy tissue intact. As the area heals, the spinal cord returns to its normal position, alleviating the pain and pressure.
- Spinal fusion: This technique is used to treat patients with severe degenerative disc disease, spinal instability or deformity. The damaged disc is removed and a spacer is placed between the vertebrae to help restore alignment and relieve pain. Small pins and rods are inserted to provide stability while the bone heals. Rather than harvesting bone from the pelvic bone, which can be a significant source of post-operative pain, this technique uses bone graft substitutes (osteobiologics) to enhance healing.
In addition to these less invasive options, the specialists at Northwest Health - Porter are skilled in traditional techniques for complex procedures, including spinal reconstructive surgery, revision surgery and surgery to correct curvature of the spine (scoliosis).
Education and Support - Every Step of the Way
Northwest Health - Porter's spine surgery program is designed to make your surgical experience as stress-free as possible. From a pre-operative class, to recovery at the dedicated Center for Orthopedic Medicine, we'll see you through every phase of care.
The Center for Orthopedic Medicine provides life-changing relief for residents of Porter, Lake and LaPorte County, as well as our surrounding Northern Indiana, Chicagoland and Michigan communities.
To find a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon who performs spine surgery, visit the Find a Doctor section.