Diagnosing Conditions of the Spine

From the moment you call CNSO, our staff and physicians will listen to what you are experiencing. They will isolate the cause of your discomfort and help you meet the correct specialist for your condition. Our surgeons will perform a thorough examination and review all diagnostics. If you have already had imaging, EMGs, or prior treatment, it will be analyzed by our surgeons in order to determine if there is a pathology that correlates with your symptoms. They will then provide an accurate diagnosis and a path forward. They will take the time to explain your medical condition, answer your questions, and make it easier for you to cope with your symptoms. Your entire clinical course will be discussed with you by the surgeons. The best pain relief treatment methods will be provided as you move towards recovery and living life free from pain medications. Depending on your diagnosis the severity of pain, you may benefit from a non-invasive pain management treatment or procedures that will minimize inflammation and its resultant pain then allow you to engage in physical therapy muscle relaxation and strength training. If there is a structural change to your spine or brain, surgical treatment may be necessary. 

Once a diagnosis is established, you will be confident that your care will be the best treatment for you, and with that comfort comes peace of mind.

NJ’s Most Comprehensive Brain Tumor and Spine Center

Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics delivers compassionate care and personalized treatment for every patient. CNSO takes a collaborative approach to care which includes neurosurgeons, orthopedic spine surgeons, physiatrists, pain management doctors, physical medicine, and rehabilitation physicians. Together, we offer patients conservative treatment at each of our offices nearby you. CNSO performs brain surgery and spine surgery at most of the top New Jersey Hospitals, so you can discuss with CNSO surgeons which hospital or surgical center is best for your medical condition as well as your convenience. Combining high quality care access and the most advanced technology is only part of what makes CNSO New Jersey’s most highly regarded comprehensive brain and spine care center. 

The Conditions We Treat

Degenerative Spinal Disorders

Back pain is the most common body part in which pain is experienced. As we age, we lose the cushioning of joints and bone mass. The spine is comprised of both of these mechanics as well as nerves and a spinal cord. Lifestyle factors speed up the progression of spine and joint deterioration which illicit pain from compression on the surrounding nerves. Such factors that increase degeneration include obesity, smoking, menopause, and physical trauma. Some of the degenerative spine conditions we treat include:

• • Adult Scoliosis
  • Sciatica
  • Spinal arthritis
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Cervical stenosis
  • Lumbar stenosis
  • Bone spurs of the spine
  • Spondylolisthesis
  • Spondylosis
  • Radiculopathy
  • Sacroiliitis

Disc Disorders

Each of the 33 vertebral bones in our spine is paired with a cushioning intervertebral disc. These soft, flexible discs help absorb the unrelenting gravitational downward force that impact the spine associated with walking, running, or jumping. With wear and tear, these discs become distorted due to drying out or bulge out of alignment with the bones of the spine (bulging disc).  They can also incur mild tears, complete rupture and herniation causing pain and discomfort on the surrounding nerve tissue. Some of the medical conditions used to describe these diagnoses which can all be treated at CNSO are:

• • Pinched nerve
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Slipped disc
  • Herniated disc
  • Bulging disc

Spinal Deformity

If you have ever seen an X-ray or diagram of the spine, you have noticed that it does not form a straight line but the bones are in alignment from left or right. The structures of our body and our mobility depend on this healthy curvature for support and balance from an anterior to posterior perspective. But when the individual vertebral bones of the spine start to shift out of alignment, they can move in any direction causing pain or discomfort. Most of the time, the conditions are not visible when looking at the individual but are detected upon imaging such as an xray, CT or MRI. Mild changes that do not cause discomfort do not need to be treated. Some spine deformities, however, can be so severe that the individual is unable to stand up straight, walk, or play sports. The following spine conditions affect the natural shape of the spine. These spine deformities can cause mobility challenges and pain.  All types of spinal deformities are evaluated and if necessary, are treated by CNSO:

• • Adolescent scoliosis
  • Adult scoliosis
  • Kyphosis

These conditions may eventually lead to more serious degenerative spine conditions, disc disorders, and other ailments.

Spine and Nerve Tumors

Back pain is typically due to musculoskeletal causes. Though seldom it may, stem from spinal tumors. They are categorized as Extradural (Epidural), Intradural, or Intramedullary depending on the location within the spine. At CNSO, we treat a number of patients with spinal tumors each year. Some of the common tumors of the spine the CNSO surgeons treat or remove are:

• • Meningioma
  • Hemangioma
  • Osteosarcoma
  • Ewing Sarcoma
  • Chordoma
  • Chondrosarcoma
  • Multiple Myeloma
  • Osteoblastoma
  • Osteochondroma
  • Giant Cell Tumor (GCT)
  • Ependymoma and Subependymoma
  • Nerve Sheath Tumors
  • Schwannoma
  • Neurofibroma
  • Astrocytoma of the Spine
  • Hemangioblastoma
  • Lymphoma

Brain Tumors

Each type of brain tissue can begin to change and develop into an area of tumor growth.  Cancerous cells from other parts of the body can spread to the brain via blood vessels and begin to form secondary tumors within the brain. These abnormal cell growths within brain tissue and range from benign to aggressive. The most common brain tumors treat by CNSO highly recognized neurosurgeons are:

• • Pituitary tumors
  • Meningioma
  • Glioblastoma
  • Glioblastoma Multiforme
  • Astrocytomas of the Brain
  • Chordomas
  • Craniopharyngioma
  • Acoustic Neuroma
  • Gangliocytoma
  • Oligodendroglioma
  • Ependymoma
  • Pineocytoma
  • Hemangioblastoma
  • Rhabdoid Tumor
  • Glomus Jugulare

Brain Disorders

Disorders of the brain, other than tumors, have numerous causes. They range for trauma to genetic or congenital. These disorders affect the ability to cognitively function, physically move, balance, sensory perception, and some cause significant pain in the head or face. Trigeminal neuralgia causes extremely severe, lancing facial pain. Below are some of the brain conditions that CNSO neurosurgeons diagnose and treat:

• • Chiari malformation
  • Trigeminal neuralgia
  • Idiopathic or benign intracranial hypertension (false tumors)
  • Congenital Hydrocephalus
  • Normal pressure hydrocelphalus

Failed Back Surgery and Revision Spine Surgery

Back surgery can fail for several reasons. Certain medical conditions can slow down or prevent proper healing which leads to a higher likelihood of reinjury. Automobile accidents can place significant forces on an already compromised spine. Spine injuries are complex and often misdiagnosed because the symptoms do not correlate with the imaging. Also, if elaborate reconstruction would be required that neither the patient nor the surgeon wants to undertake, together, they may decide not to resolve the spine deformity with a single surgery but rather to do a smaller surgery knowing eventually there will be the need for another operation. Further, pseudarthrosis, which is degeneration of the spine, can occur on both or either ends of the spine where a prior operation occurred. At CNSO, we offer a proper diagnosis and additional treatment if needed.

Traumatic Spine Conditions

Falls, sports injuries, car accidents, and other impacts can put excessive force on the spine, overwhelming its structures and leading to instability, or spinal trauma. The risk of spinal trauma is especially high for individuals with significant bone loss, spinal degeneration, or arthritis, which weaken the spine’s structures and reduce its ability to withstand force. Our team treats all of the following traumatic spine conditions:

• • Spinal cord injury and fracture
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Work-related back injuries
  • Failed back surgery syndrome

Schedule a Consultation Today

Are you or a loved one experiencing pain, lost mobility, or other symptoms? If so, request an appointment with Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics today. We are currently accepting new patients at our locations in Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Passaic, Morris, or Sussex Counties in New Jersey.