Spine Treatment in Northern Michigan

Board-certified Munson Healthcare orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons are experienced in back and spinal surgery, including spinal fusion, sacroiliac joint fusion, decompression laminectomy, and balloon kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fractures. These specialists also treat aching backs and manage fracture repair, disc injuries, and scoliosis. Specialty spine services are available at Charlevoix Hospital and Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. Learn about spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain. 

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Eating and Drinking After Surgery  The Importance of Walking After Surgery

Advanced Technology for Improved Outcomes

The availability of an O-arm CT scanner in the surgical suite at Munson Medical Center ensures a higher level of delicate surgical techniques for complex back procedures. 

Prior to surgery, patients may be referred to Munson Medical Center’s Pain Management Program to try less invasive treatments.  

Spinal Conditions We Treat
  • Acoustic neuroma
  • Aging spine
  • Arthritis
  • Astrocytoma
  • Cervical myelopathy
  • Cervical and lumbar radiculopathies
  • Cervical, thoracic, or lumbar disc herniation
  • Cervical and lumbar spinal stenosis
  • Chiari malformation
  • Chordoma
  • Complex spinal reconstruction
  • Compression fracture
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Degenerative spine (spondylosis and spondylolisthesis)
  • Discitis
  • General and complex spinal disorders
  • Hemangioblastoma
  • Hydromyelia
  • Low back pain, evaluated first by primary care physician
  • Meningioma
  • Neck and back pain
  • Nerve sheath tumor
  • Neurilemmoma
  • Osteo fracture (kyphoplasty)
  • Post-traumatic cervical instability
  • Ruptured discs
  • Schwannoma
  • Sciatica
  • Scoliosis
  • Spinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM)
  • Spinal cord dysraphia
  • Spinal cord injuries and fractures
  • Spinal cord lipoma and lipomyelomeningocele
  • Spinal deformity
  • Spinal epidural abscess
  • Spinal metastatic tumor
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Spine fractures
  • Spine injury
  • Spine trauma
  • Sports injury
  • Syringomyelia
  • Traumatic burst fractures
  • Traumatic spine fractures
  • Vertebral osteomyelitis

Spine Treatment in Northern Michigan

Board-certified Munson Healthcare orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons are experienced in back and spinal surgery, including spinal fusion, sacroiliac joint fusion, decompression laminectomy, and balloon kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fractures. These specialists also treat aching backs and manage fracture repair, disc injuries, and scoliosis. Specialty spine services are available at Charlevoix Hospital and Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.

Find an Orthopedic Specialist

Advanced Technology for Improved Outcomes

The availability of an O-arm CT scanner in the surgical suite at Munson Medical Center ensures a higher level of delicate surgical techniques for complex back procedures. 

Prior to surgery, patients may be referred to the Munson Healthcare Pain Clinic at Foster Family Community Center to try less invasive treatments.  

Surgical Procedures for Spinal Conditions at Munson Healthcare

Balloon Kyphoplasty

Kyphoplasty is a procedure that can help relieve the pain of vertebral compression fracture. This is a collapse of bone in your spine is most commonly caused by osteoporosis. The kyphoplasty strengthens your spine (vertebrae) with special surgical cement.

Cervical Fusion

The cervical bones (vertebrae) are the top seven bones of your spine. They are located along your neck, just below the skull. Fusing vertebrae in the neck may help ease neck and arm pain. It may also help relieve progressive paralysis caused by compression of your nerve roots or spinal cord.

Decompression Laminectomy

A laminectomy is a surgery procedure that removes the part of the vertebra called the lamina. This takes pressure off nerves in the low back and helps reduce symptoms. A similar surgery is called a laminotomy. For a laminotomy, only part of the lamina is removed.

A laminectomy is usually done to remove pressure from the spinal cord or the nerve roots. It can also be done to access a tumor, an infection, an abnormal blood vessel, or a blood clot. A laminectomy can be followed by a fusion of the vertebrae.

Spinal Cord Stimulation

Pain messages travel over nerve pathways to the spinal cord, inside the spine. The spinal cord carries the messages to the brain. Constant pain messages can cause long-term pain that is hard to treat. This is called chronic pain. Spinal cord stimulation uses a medical device to send signals to the nerve pathways inside your spinal cord. These signals help block the pain.

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Spinal Fusion

During spinal fusion, your surgeon locks together, or fuses, certain bones in your spine that are causing pain. This limits the movement of these bones, which may help ease your pain. Even so, you may feel more flexible after a fusion because you can move with less pain.

Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal that causes pressure or impingement of the nerves, causing pain. As the population ages, spinal stenosis has become more widespread. Our spine specialists are experts at designing an individual treatment plan for each person with spinal stenosis, as individual needs can vary widely.

Other services

  • Disc Injuries
  • Fracture Repair
  • Sacroiliac Joint Fusion