Spine Surgery

What is spine surgery?

Your spine is the backbone of your wellbeing. It keeps you upright, promotes a healthy nervous system and enables you to move freely.

Back pain is a common condition often treated with medication or physical therapy. But there are times when these approaches aren’t enough. When pain or limited mobility persists, consulting with a backbone specialist, like a spine surgeon, may be the next best step.

Spinal surgery, sometimes called back surgery or backbone surgery, is used to diagnose and treat a variety of spinal conditions, including herniated discs, sciatica and spinal stenosis. Spine surgery can relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, helping you regain mobility and get back to your everyday activities.

Find a spine specialist near me

What conditions does spine surgery treat?

Our spine surgeons and back specialists near you at Mount Nittany Health can diagnose and treat a full spectrum of spinal conditions, including:

Back or neck pain: Depending on your condition, you may experience pain in your neck or back, or pain that extends into your legs and feet. You may also have tingling and numbness.
Disc herniation: An injury to one of the cushions around each vertebra. This is one of the most common causes of back and neck pain.
Radiculopathy: A pinched nerve in your back that can cause pain, numbness and tingling along the nerve.
Sciatica: Injury or pressure on your sciatic nerve, which causes pain or numbness in your lower back, buttocks and legs.
Spinal stenosis: When the space inside the spinal column is too small, causing pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.
Revision spine surgeries: Corrective spinal surgery for those who have had a previous unsuccessful procedure or procedures.

Whether you’re considering a back pain operation or exploring different types of spine surgery, our team of experienced spinal specialists is here to help.

When to see a back surgeon

For many, back pain can be treated with conservative measures, including:

Pain management injections: Targeted injections to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain.
Physical therapy: Customized exercises to strengthen the spine and improve mobility.
Bracing and immobilization: Supportive devices to stabilize the spine and promote healing.
Rest, ice and heat: Simple, at-home treatments that can make a significant difference in pain management. It’s recommended to alternate between ice and heat therapy, ensuring that neither is applied directly to the skin for more than 10 minutes at a time.

However, not all spine conditions will respond to a moderate treatment approach. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, it may be time to consult a spinal doctor or back surgeon:

Chronic neck, back or leg pain
Numbness, weakness or tingling in extremities
Difficulty performing daily tasks
Loss of bladder/bowel control
Trauma or injury to the spine
Continued pain and/or limited mobility after being treated with non-surgical procedures

Spine Appointment Contact Us

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If you have questions about our spine surgery program or would like to schedule a consultation, please fill out the form below. Our team is here to provide expert care and guide you through every step of your treatment journey. We look forward to assisting you and helping you find the right solutions for your spine health.

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Schedule a spine appointment

To learn more or to schedule an appointment with a Mount Nittany Health spine surgery specialist, call 814.237.4321. Surgeries are performed at Mount Nittany Medical Center and Mount Nittany Health Surgical Center.

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Spine care treatment options

We’re here to support your spine health. Our team of spinal surgeons, nurses and rehabilitation specialists at Mount Nittany Health will help find the best spinal treatment option for you.

We offer a variety of spine treatments and spinal procedures. Whether you’re seeking spinal surgery or non-surgical pain management, our spine care center provides the latest treatment options to help you regain mobility and reduce pain. Some of the back surgeries and procedures our team specializes in include:

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: This type of surgery relieves pressure on the spinal cord in the cervical spine via an incision in the front of the neck.
Artificial cervical disc replacement: This procedure replaces a damaged cervical disc with an artificial one.
Lumbar fusion procedures: During this type of surgery, a spine specialist permanently connects two vertebrae in the lower back region to help restore mobility and alleviate pain.
Lumbar laminectomies: This is a procedure in which a portion of the spinal column is removed to ease pressure on nerves.
Microdiscectomy: During this minimally invasive procedure, a herniated disc is removed.
Non-operative management of spine pathology: This spine procedure includes medications, physical therapy, lifestyle modifications and other non-invasive treatments to relieve pain and regain mobility.
Posterior cervical discectomy and fusion: This type of back surgery relieves pressure on the spinal cord in the cervical spine through an incision in the back of the neck
Spinal cord stimulators: These electrical devices are implanted to send impulses to the brain, helping alleviate pain.
Revision spine surgery: A type of procedure performed after a failed back surgery.

Spine care at Mount Nittany

When it comes to spine care, Mount Nittany Health has your back. Our spinal specialists combine advanced technologies and leading-edge surgical techniques with compassionate care. Mount Nittany Health uses a team approach, bringing together a host of experienced healthcare professionals to help you make the best decisions for your individual health and get you on track to healing better, faster. In addition to spine care, we also treat cervical, thoracic and lumbar conditions.

Meet our spine specialists

“Providing care at a community-based healthcare system like Mount Nittany Health makes me feel like I’m part of a healthcare system that is focused on helping people, and I enjoy it,”
Dr. Ronald Lakatos

"I often meet patients at their lowest, in severe pain. Helping them return to their daily activities, whether through conservative care or surgery, is the most rewarding aspect of my work."
Dr. Eric Emanski