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Treatment for Spine conditions can vary from home remedies, physical therapy, non-surgical options, surgical options, and preventative care.  Click on the links below to learn about treatments, terms, and more.

Cervical Spine

• Refers to the neck. There are seven cervical vertebrae in the neck.
  

Degenerative Disc Disease

• Changes which occur in the intervertebral disc during the normal aging process, which makes the disc more brittle.
  

Disc Bulge

• ​A small disc herniation which can irritate a nerve, but usually does not require surgery.
  

Disc Herniation

• ​Occurs when a portion of the cushion between the vertebral bodies (intervertebral disc) is no longer in its normal position. The disc usually ruptures posteriorly and pushes on nerves to the arms and legs
  

Disc Protrusion

• ​A larger disc herniation which frequently pushes on nerves in the arms and legs causing pain.
  

EMG or Electromyography / NCS (nerve conduction study)

• ​An electromyogram (EMG) measures the electrical activity of muscles
  

           when they're at rest and when they're being used. Nerve conduction

           studies measure how well and how fast the nerves can send electrical

           signals.

Facet Joint

• ​​The joint on the back of the spine between two adjacent vertebrae. 
  

           Twisting injuries can cause damage to one or both facet joints, and

           cartilage degeneration associated with aging may also cause pain.

           Medial branches innervate the facet joints.  

PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma)

• Platelet-rich plasma (Abbreviation: PRP) is blood plasma that has been concentrated and enriched with platelets. As a concentrated source of one's own platelets, once injected (utilizing ultrasound), PRP contains several different growth factors which stimulate healing of tendons, arthritic joints, ligaments, and soft tissue.​ An injection of PRP to an injured site provides the tissue with healing growth factors that are otherwise difficult for the body to deliver due to poor blood supply.  PRP has also proven beneficial for spinal conditions including facet joint pain (arthropathy) and Sacroiliac joint pain.  
  
• ​Watch this video on Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
  
• Click here to read our Platelet-Rich Plasma Rehabilitation Guidelines.
  
• Click here to read our Platelet-Rich Plasma Post Procedure Guidelines.

Discogram/Discography

• ​An injection of contrast material into the central region of the disc. This is often followed by an x-ray or CT scan.
  
• Watch Discography video here.

Transforaminal SNRB (Selective Nerve Root Block)

• Selective nerve root block (SNRB), is a common injection and is primarily used to diagnose the specific source of nerve root pain and, secondarily, for therapeutic relief of low back pain and/or leg pain. When performing a SNRB, the nerve is approached at the level where it exits the foramen (the hole between the vertebral bodies). The injection can be done both with a steroid (an anti-inflammatory medication) and lidocaine (a numbing agent). Fluoroscopy (live X-ray) is used to ensure the medication is delivered to the correct location.​
  

Facet Joint Injection

• In a facet block procedure, a physician uses fluoroscopy (live X-ray) to guide the needle into the facet joint capsule to inject lidocaine (a numbing agent) and/or a steroid (an anti-inflammatory medication). If the patient's pain goes away after the injection, it can be inferred that the pain generator is the specific facet joint capsule that has just been injected.
  
• Watch Facet Joint Injections Procedure video here.
  

Epidural (Intralaminar)

• Located on or outside of the dura mater.
  

Lumbar Spine

• The lowest portion of the spine. There are five lumbar vertebrae in the low back.
  

RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation)

• If facet block injections provide good but temporary relief of the patient’s pain, a facet rhizotomy (RFA) injection may be recommended. The purpose of RFA is to provide lasting low back pain relief by disabling the sensory nerve that goes to the facet joint. In this procedure, a needle with a probe is inserted just outside the joint. The probe is then heated with radio waves and applied to the sensory nerve to the joint in order to disable the nerve. Theoretically, by deadening the sensory nerve to the facet joint, a facet rhizotomy effectively prevents the pain signals from getting to the brain.
  

Sacroiliac (SI) Joint

• The sacroiliac joint or SI joint (SIJ) is the joint in the bony pelvis between the sacrum and the ilium of the pelvis, which are joined by strong ligaments. In humans, the sacrum supports the spine and is supported in turn by an ilium on each side.
  

Sciatica

• Irritation of the sciatic nerve which is the largest nerve in the body and travels down the legs.
  

Spondylosis

• A stress fracture of the back of the spine. Occurs in the portion of the lamina known as the "pars interarticularis."
  

Spondylolisthesis

• A forward slippage of one vertebra on the other.
  

Stenosis

• Decreased space available for the nerves, usually due to arthritis.
  

Thoracic Spine

• The middle portion of the spine; there are 12 thoracic vertebrae.
  

Trochanteric Bursitis

• Trochanteric bursitis is inflammation of the bursa (fluid-filled sac near a joint) at the outside (lateral) point of the hip known as the greater trochanter. When this bursabecomes irritated or inflamed, it causes pain in the hip.
  

Vertebra

• A spinal bone.
  

See how we can solve your spine and neck issues. Call us today at (970) 382-8292.

Glossary to Understanding Your Spine

Additional Resources

Dr. Silva performing an EMG on a patient at Animas Spine

Contact Us:  970-382-8292    I    info@animasspine.com

For great additional resources, articles, glossary of terms videos and animations visit:

UnderstandSpineSurgery.com

For a great video library on injections visit:

Spine-health.com