At Grace Spine Care Center, we focus on different kinds of spine problems.

An elective spine problem is an issue that isn’t considered an emergency or life-threatening. Examples include conditions like a herniated disc, scoliosis or even chronic neck or back pain.

Elective spine problems can be treated with surgery, but there are several non-surgical options. You also get to decide if you want to try a non-surgical approach.

Chronic neck and back pain don’t always require surgery. Many people can manage and alleviate their symptoms through non-surgical treatments, including:

• Chiropractic care
• Interventional pain management
• Lifestyle modifications
• Medications
• Physical therapy

These options are all available at the Grace Spine Care Center.

We start to consider surgery if these treatments aren’t providing the comfort that you need to move through your day-to-day activities.

If you’re referred to us for a surgical consultation, it doesn’t mean that you’ll need surgery. Most spine-related problems don’t require surgical treatment.

First, we can try pain management or non-surgical treatments, like physical therapy and lifestyle modifications, to see if that alleviates your pain and helps you get back to daily activities that you love.

If your pain and discomfort continue, then we can talk more seriously about different surgical options and what feels like the best choice for you.

Whatever form your treatment plan takes, we make those decisions together.

Minimally invasive spine surgery, such as a spine endoscopy, uses smaller incisions to help minimize your discomfort and reduce your recovery time.

Our patients tend to go home either the same day or the following day.

Not necessarily. We do accept referrals – and some insurances will require a referral – but you don’t always need a referral to make the appointment for an initial evaluation.

It’s always best to call your insurance provider and check.

When you call us, we’ll try to schedule your first appointment within two weeks.

If there’s an urgent need for a consultation, we can usually accommodate you and schedule an appointment within one or two days.

To get the most out of your first visit, we recommend bringing:

• Any previous spine imaging that’s available, like MRI, CT scans or X-rays – both radiology reports and images on a disc
• Other studies, such as EMG and nerve conduction, arterial ultrasound and bone scans
• Reports from previous injections
• Reports from previous spine surgeries
• All medication bottles
• Insurance card and ID

This helps us answer your questions much more quickly.

However, just a reminder, you’re not required to have any previous test or imaging results before you see us. Don’t let that stop you from making an initial appointment.

Yes! In fact, we encourage you to come with a family member or loved one. We understand that all the information that you receive during your initial visit can feel overwhelming.

Bringing a loved one along to listen can help you keep track of details and help inform your decisions.

If you’re going to have surgery, then we’d also like you to bring a loved one to your pre-operative appointment, which often takes place two weeks before surgery.

We want both of you to understand what to expect before, during and after your procedure.

The pre-assessment appointment is your starting point with Grace Spine Care Center. From the minute you walk in the door, you’re in good hands.

Just because we specialize in spine surgery, doesn’t mean you always need spine surgery – and we’re here for you every step of the way.

• Review your history
  • First, you’ll meet with an experienced, advanced spine care practitioner to talk about your spine issues. We never overbook our schedules so that you get our full attention during each appointment.
• Look at any previous test results
  • If you have previous spine imaging or other study results, we examine them with you. The goal is to thoroughly learn about your medical needs.
  • Then, we explain the disease process and how we could manage it. We might also arrange for appropriate testing, so we can better understand your condition together.
• Create a treatment plan
  • Together, with you and your family, we come up with a treatment plan.
  • Our treatment framework is usually five steps that increase in complexity:
    • Lifestyle modifications and self-management options
    • Physical therapy or chiropractic care
    • Medications
    • Interventional pain procedures, such as injections
    • Surgery
• Schedule follow-up appointments
  • We help schedule any follow-up appointments and go over your next steps.

All surgical procedures are different based on your specific needs. If surgery is a part of your treatment, our team will walk you through what to expect during each stage of this journey.

After surgery, we will give you a list of DO’s and DON’Ts to help with recovery and help make sure that you have what you need before you’re discharged. Most patients go home the same day or the following day. If it’s necessary, we can arrange for patient transfer to a rehabilitation center or arrange home health.

All patients come back for a post-op appointment in two weeks and again in six weeks.

Most pain from surgery is caused by inflammation and lasts three to five days. The entire healing process can take two weeks for the wound and 12 weeks for bone healing. It may take up to a year to feel the full benefits of surgery.

You’ll be guided through the process with text messages, and we’ll be available to answer your questions either in person or over the phone.