Non-surgical Spine Program

Our Non-Surgical Spine Program is home to a team of experts who will work together to find the cause of your spine, joint and nerve pain. We take the time to help you understand your treatment options and build a care plan tailored to your needs and goals. 

At Overlake Medical Center & Clinics, we understand how much neck and back pain can get in the way of your day-to-day life. Our team of experts in spine and musculoskeletal medicine is here to listen closely and get to the root of your symptoms. We provide a wide variety of non-surgical treatments to help you find relief and return to the activities you love. 

A team of experts in musculoskeletal medicine leads our program. This branch of medicine focuses on the muscles, bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments that help the body move. Our Spine Program doctors are called physiatrists, also known as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) specialists. They are board-certified and have additional fellowship training in spine medicine diagnostics and interventional procedures.

Your care will start with comprehensive diagnostics to find the root cause of your pain. Then, we’ll talk through your goals — whether that’s being able to comfortably do household chores or get back to playing pickleball — and work together to create a custom care plan to help you achieve them. 

Spine Conditions We Treat

• Age-related aches and pains.
• Acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) neck pain.
• Acute and chronic back pain.
• Back and neck injuries including those from work-related accidents, car accidents, sports and other types of injuries.
• Acute and chronic nerve pain.
• Pinched nerves.
• Radiculopathy (pinched nerves) with pain radiating along a nerve pathway.
• Acute and chronic nerve pain from previous injury.

Spine Treatments and Services

At Overlake, your care will start with a comprehensive diagnosis to identify exactly what’s causing your symptoms. This may include one or more of the following tests: 

• Imaging, to take pictures of your spine to help identify the cause of pain or the extent of an injury. These tests may include X-rays, CT scans and MRIs. We often use diagnostic ultrasound to identify ligament issues in the neck and back that don’t show up on other tests. Most imaging tests require the patient to stay still to capture a clear image. But ultrasound can capture images while a person is moving, which can help doctors provide a more detailed and accurate diagnosis. 
• Electrodiagnostics, including electromyography and nerve conduction studies. These tests help doctors identify problems with the nerves including exactly where a pinched or damaged nerve is and how severe it is. 
• Blood tests, to determine if rheumatic diseases or other conditions could be contributing to your pain. 

Once we have a clear and detailed diagnosis, our care team will work with you to create a care plan that meets your needs and goals. Your care may include:

• Physical therapy, to strengthen muscles, correct physical imbalances, improve range of motion and reduce pain.
• Massage therapy, to help loosen tight muscles, reduce inflammation and relieve pain. 
• Platelet-rich plasma, to help stimulate tissue repair and reduce inflammation. 
• Trigger point injections, to help relax tight muscles and relieve pain.
• Nerve injections, to help reduce nerve pain with medicines that get injected near specific nerves.
• Epidural steroid injections, delivering medicine near the spinal cord to reduce pain. 
• Facet ablations, using energy and heat to calm down nerves and help relieve chronic back and neck pain. 
• The Vertiflex procedure, a minimally invasive procedure that helps relieve pressure on specific nerves to reduce pain in the spine.
• Basivertebral nerve ablation, a minimally invasive procedure to relieve chronic lower back pain related to a specific group of nerves.
• Peripheral nerve stimulation, using small electrical pulses to reduce nerve-related pain.
• Spinal cord stimulation, using electrical pulses near the spine to help relieve chronic pain.

Some people want to add acupuncture or chiropractic medicine to their care plan. If that’s the case for you, we’re happy to talk through your options and provide a referral. For people who may benefit from surgery, we may also provide a referral to our Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Program. 

The Latest in Spine Care

Our care team is on the pulse of the latest technologies, treatment options and research. We offer advanced diagnostic tools and treatments that are not available at every spine care program. Our doctors also participate in a monthly spine conference where our team comes together with neurologists, surgeons and other doctors to discuss complex cases and new advances in care. 

Here For You Now — and in the Future

Some people want to start with treatments like physical therapy and massage. Others may want to explore injections or nerve-stimulating treatments. And if surgery ever begins to feel like a more appealing or necessary option, we are happy to discuss a referral for surgery. 

Whatever your preferences, we’re here to answer any questions, carefully weigh your options and provide expert care every step of the way. Part of our care includes following up with you over time to check on your progress and adjust your care plan as needed. Many of our patients appreciate our team’s deep expertise – and the fact that we are always just a phone call away. 

At Overlake Clinics Non-Surgical Spine Program, we've helped thousands of people learn to live better with neck and back pain. Whether you’re recovering from a recent injury or have been dealing with this pain for years, our team is here for you.