Degenerative Spine Conditions

Degenerative spine conditions encompass various problems that can happen as we age and can involve discs (cushion between your vertebrae), joints, and ligaments, as they wear down over time.

The rate and severity of this wear and tear is different for everyone and can depend on many factors.

This can happen in your neck (cervical), back (thoracic), or low back (lumbosacral spine).

A combination of overgrowth of different parts of the spine, including facet joints, ligaments, osteophytes, and disc herniations can result in crowding of the spinal cord or nerves causing symptoms such as:

  • Pain going down your arm or leg

  • Pain in legs when walking long distances

  • Weakness in your hands, arms, legs, and feet

  • Numbness, tingling, burning

  • Electric shock pains down the spine

  • Imbalance, frequent falls

  • Urinary incontinence

Treatments

Degenerative spine conditions may be treated with non-operative or surgical options, depending on severity and symptoms. Treatment is always tailored to your specific condition and goals

Non-Operative Options

  • Not all degenerative spine conditions require surgery and many times, can be managed with conservative measures.

  • Observation

  • Physical Therapy

  • Injections with Pain Management

  • Weight Loss

  • Medication (ex. gabapentin)

Surgical Options

Depending on the condition, there are many different types of surgeries that can be performed to help the patient. The following are a few examples:

  • [Minimally invasive] Decompressive Laminectomy and Foraminotomy

  • [Minimally invasive] Laminectomy and Discectomy

  • [Minimally invasive] Laminectomy and Fusion

  • [Minimally invasive] Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF)

  • Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)

  • Corpectomy and Fusion

  • Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF)

Meet Dr. Lee

Dr. Michaela Lee is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon with expertise in complex spine and cerebrovascular surgery. She completed her residency and an enfolded complex spine fellowship at The George Washington University Medical Center, followed by advanced training in cerebrovascular and skull base surgery at Barrow Neurological Institute under Dr. Peter Nakaji.

After helping establish an academic neurosurgery department with Dr. Nakaji, she continues their partnership at Scottsdale Neurosurgery Specialists, where she is dedicated to delivering exceptional, patient-focused spinal care.

🔗 Links:
• Learn More About Dr. Lee → Click Here