Treating neck pain and restoring function and normal activity starts with diagnosing the underlying cause. The orthopedic spine surgeons at Norton Leatherman Spine have extensive experience treating neck pain and its underlying conditions. These may include:

• Arthritis
• Muscle strain
• Fracture
• Tumor
• Deformity
• Spinal cord compression
• Other causes

Neck pain can affect every aspect of life, from driving, sleeping and maintaining employment to mental health. Patients may experience the following symptoms:

• Pain localized to the sides of the neck and the back muscles that move your spine
• Pain in the trapezius muscles, or the muscles that extend over the back of the neck and shoulders and move the head and shoulder blades
• A sharp pain between the shoulder blades and down the arm
• Headaches that start in the back and at the base of the skull

Neck Pain Treated with Nonsurgical and Surgical Expertise

The orthopedic spine surgeons at Norton Leatherman Spine have surgical and nonsurgical expertise in all neck disorders that may cause pain. We treat adults and children in Louisville, Southern Indiana and beyond.

Treatment for neck pain begins with physical therapy to strengthen and condition the muscles and improve range of motion. Patients may also receive anti-inflammatory or pain medication to help with faster relief of symptoms.

Other nonsurgical neck pain treatments may provide additional relief. These include:

• Dry needling: Technique in which needle is inserted into areas of the muscle to relieve pain and restore movement.
• Electrostimulation: Uses an electrical charge to treat muscle pain and spasms
• Acupuncture: Technique that pricks the skin with needles to reduce pain
• Injections: Therapeutic injections to reduce pain and swelling, and diagnostic injections to identify and isolate a patient’s pain generator
• Radiofrequency ablations: Procedure in which an electrical current produced by a radio wave heats a small area of nerve tissue, reducing pain signals

When surgery is needed to restore a patient’s desired function and relieve pain, the orthopedic spine surgeons at Norton Leatherman Spine have expertise in minimally invasive and motion-preservation procedures:

• Minimally invasive posterior fusions: Procedure that fuses two neck bones together. The minimally invasive technique creates a small incision, only 3 to 4 millimeters.
• Cervical disc arthroplasty: Procedure that involves replacing a damaged or degenerated disc with an artificial disc.
• Cervical disc laminoplasty: Procedure to remove pressure from the spinal cord in the neck.
• Robotic and computer-assisted techniques: Using technology can help reduce pain and shorten recovery time.

Making It Easy to Get Back to Your Life

• With six Norton Leatherman Spine locations in Louisville and Southern Indiana, we have specialists near you.
• We use minimally invasive procedures that can reduce recovery time and reduce the risk of complications.
• Sophisticated pain management aims to keep you comfortable and safe.
• Communicate with your provider, manage appointments, refill prescriptions and more anytime from a computer or mobile device with a free MyNortonChart account.

About Norton Leatherman Spine

Norton Leatherman Spine in Louisville and Southern Indiana offers world-class care from surgeons who are recognized nationally and internationally for their innovation, expertise and skill. Norton Leatherman Spine is one of the premier research and education programs in the United States for spinal surgeons.

Our rich history traces back to Kenton D. Leatherman, M.D., who more than 50 years ago became the first orthopedic surgeon in Kentucky to specialize in spine care. A University of Louisville School of Medicine graduate, he developed leading-edge approaches to treating scoliosis after World War II.

• The board-certified and fellowship-trained specialists at Norton Leatherman Spine are among the most experienced in the country, treating conditions like yours for an average of 20 years.
• We have orthopedic spine surgeons providing care from our offices in downtown and suburban Louisville and in surrounding counties.
• Our physicians pinpoint your diagnosis to come up with the right treatment plan, including surgical and nonsurgical options as appropriate.
• We offer minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures that carry less risk and can speed your recovery. Norton Leatherman Spine surgeons are actively involved in the development of next-generation minimally invasive technologies.
• The physicians at Norton Leatherman are leaders in their field and train the next generation of specialists. More than 100 of the leading spine surgeons practicing throughout the U.S. today were trained at Norton Leatherman Spine.
• Techniques developed at Norton Leatherman Spine have produced better outcomes for patients, with fewer side effects, and are routinely performed around the world today.
• Our team performs more than 4,000 surgeries a year, and patients come to our providers more than 30,000 times a year.