If you’re suffering from excruciating back or neck pain, you may be wondering: where is a spine surgeon near me?

WHERE CAN I FIND A SPINE SURGEON NEAR ME IN JACKSONVILLE, FL?

If you’re suffering from excruciating back or neck pain, you may be wondering: where is a spine surgeon near me?

At Integrity Spine and Orthopedics, our Jacksonville, FL, clinic is led by Michael C. Weiss, D.O., FAOAO, an experienced spine surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive spinal procedures. Minimally invasive spine surgeries are a safer alternative to open surgeries for treating herniated discs, pinched nerves, spinal stenosis and other spine conditions.

Keep reading to learn more about when it’s time to consider spine surgery and the minimally invasive options we offer.

DR. WEISS SPECIALIZES IN MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINE PROCEDURES

Michael C. Weiss, D.O., FAOAO, is the Chief Medical Director and Chief of Surgical Operations at our clinic in Jacksonville, FL. He’s a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and fellowship trained in spine surgery. Additionally, he’s received specialized training for minimally invasive spine procedures.

During his career, Dr. Weiss spent 15 years practicing as an orthopedic surgeon, followed by 14 years practicing as a spine surgeon, before he became Chief Medical Director at Integrity Spine and Orthopedics. He’s an expert at performing both major spine surgeries and a broad range of minimally invasive spine procedures.

Dr. Weiss applies best practices for spine surgery and pain management to every patient he treats. His primary care goal is to help patients reduce their pain, increase mobility and get back to doing the activities they love. He has extensive experience using minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat the following spine conditions:

If you’re experiencing acute or chronic back and neck pain, contact our clinic to schedule an appointment to see Dr. Weiss.

WHEN DO I NEED SPINE SURGERY?

If you have a back or spine injury like a slipped disc or early-stage degenerative disc disease, your surgeon likely won’t recommend surgery right away. Many spine conditions can be managed or treated with conservative measures like rest and activity modifications, over-the-counter medications, ice and heat therapy, corticosteroid injections, stretching and physical therapy. Rest assured that your doctor will explore all treatment options before recommending surgery.

However, there are cases where surgery may be the best option to reduce pain, restore movement and improve your quality of life. Consider spine surgery if you’re experiencing the following:

A non-healing injury. Many injuries like bulging discs, herniated discs and pinched nerves heal on their own with time and conservative care. But if you’re experiencing persistent pain, sciatica and other symptoms from a spinal injury after a few months, it may be time to seek surgical treatment.

Weakness, numbness or tingling in your extremities. Weakness, numbness and tingling that travels down your arms or legs may be symptoms of a pinched nerve. Herniated discs, painful bone spurs and narrowing in the spinal column can all lead to nerve compression in the spine. A spine surgeon can remove bone spurs, create more space in the spine and relieve pressure on the nerves during a minimally invasive surgical procedure.

Difficulty moving around. Severe back pain can make it difficult for you to walk, stand up straight, climb stairs, sit comfortably or bend over. If pain is affecting your ability to move around and complete normal tasks, spine surgery may be the best option for long-lasting pain relief.

Poor pain management. If rest, medications, physical therapy and other conservative measures aren’t effective at managing your back pain and symptoms, it may be time to consider surgical treatments.

Many patients live with severe and debilitating back pain for years because the thought of getting surgery is scary and unappealing. But modern surgical techniques have advanced far beyond long, invasive open surgeries. Today, many patients are candidates for minimally invasive procedures that have fewer risks than open surgery.

Keep reading to learn about some of the minimally invasive spinal surgeries Dr. Weiss performs at Integrity Spine and Orthopedics.

MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINE PROCEDURES AT INTEGRITY SPINE AND ORTHOPEDICS

Minimally invasive spine surgeries use minimally invasive techniques to repair or remove damaged spinal discs, relieve pressure on compressed nerves, create more space in the spine and stabilize spinal structures. These procedures provide a number of benefits over invasive open surgeries. They require smaller incisions, result in less tissue damage, lower the risk of infection and have fewer complications. Additionally, many minimally invasive procedures can be performed as outpatient procedures in an ambulatory surgery center, allowing patients to return home the same day and avoid a lengthy hospital stay.

There are no restrictions or downtime after surgery. Patients can return home the same day, and many resume their normal activities within a few weeks. The recovery and rehabilitation period is far shorter than it is for open surgeries.

Dr. Weiss performs the following minimally invasive procedures to treat spinal injuries and conditions:

Spinal decompression. During the procedure, a section of bone or spinal disc is removed to relieve pressure on compressed nerves and open up more space in the spine.

Discectomy. During the procedure, the herniated section of a damaged spinal disc is removed to relieve pressure on compressed nerves and reduce inflammation and irritation.

Spinal fusion. During the procedure, a damaged spinal disc is removed and the adjacent vertebrae are fused together to stabilize the spine and reduce pain.

Total disc replacement. During the procedure, a damaged spinal disc is removed and replaced with an artificial disc to reduce pain and restore flexible movement in the spine.

WHERE IS A TOP-NOTCH SPINE SURGEON NEAR ME?

At Integrity Spine and Orthopedics in Jacksonville, FL, Dr. Weiss specializes in diagnosing and treating a wide range of acute and chronic back, spine and joint conditions. If you’re experiencing acute or chronic pain, weakness, or a loss of mobility, contact us to schedule a consultation with our team.

Call us at 904-456-0017 or contact us online to request an appointment.