Spine

Spine specialists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) utilize a wide variety of medical and surgical treatments to do everything possible to effectively treat spine disorders.

Our spine surgeons work closely with our spine physiatrists (also known as physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors), who specialize in non-surgical interventions. They, along with physicians at the Pain Management Center, collaborate to achieve an accurate diagnosis and offer comprehensive non-operative and operative care options.

Spine surgeons at the BWH Orthopedic Spine Service combine experience, expertise and innovation to offer the most appropriate surgical approaches for treating difficult spine conditions. They provide a full spectrum of adult cervical, thoracic and lumbar procedures for the treatment of degenerative, inflammatory and neoplastic conditions of the spine, as well as for spinal trauma and deformity. They specialize both in conventional and innovative approaches – always striving to deliver the maximum benefit from the minimum amount of surgery.

Physiatrists in the Orthopedic Spine Service strive to deliver the utmost quality in non-operative (conservative) spine care. Their treatment focuses on educating their patients regarding their diagnosis and the benefits and role of exercise therapy, while prescribing medications and administering minimally invasive injections for the treatment of pain and restoration of function.

Our chiropractors at the Osher Clinical Center blend the art of hands-on therapy with the science and technology of modern medicine and physical rehabilitation. Treatments may include spinal manipulation, soft tissue therapies, rehabilitation and nutritional and lifestyle counseling. As a conservative care profession, our chiropractors elect not to prescribe medications or perform surgery, and work closely with colleagues at the Orthopedic Spine Service to provide a full spectrum of patient care options.

Our Spine Services

Our spine specialists offer a wide variety of operative and non-operative services for treating various conditions of the spine. Listed below are some of our specialty areas:

Surgical

• Spinal fusion – fusing vertebrae
• Diskectomy – disk removal

• Laminectomy – vertebra removal

Physiatry

• Exercise therapy
• Medications, including minimally invasive injections

• Non-surgical decompression

Chiropractic 

• Manual spinal manipulation (diversified technique)
• Flexion-distraction therapy (Cox technique)
• Manual soft tissue therapies
• McKenzie mechanical diagnosis and treatment
• Graston instrumented soft tissue manipulation

• Ergonomic advice and lifestyle changes

Our Spine Team

Profiles of our orthopedic spine surgeons, spine physiatrists, chiropractors and spine physician assistants, including their clinical and research specialties.