A physiatrist is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), focused on diagnosing and treating spine and musculoskeletal conditions without surgery.

A discectomy removes all or part of a herniated disc to relieve nerve pressure. Most disc herniations resolve with non-surgical spine treatment — understand surgery before you consent.

Adjacent segment disease (ASD) is accelerated degeneration of spinal discs and joints above or below a prior surgical fusion, caused by mechanical stress the fused segment transfers to neighboring levels.

The intervertebral foramen is a small bony opening on each side of the spinal column where nerve roots exit the spinal canal

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a rare but serious spinal emergency caused by compression of the nerve root bundle at the base of the spine. Symptoms include saddle anesthesia

Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure that permanently joins two or more vertebrae using bone graft and hardware to eliminate painful motion — but roughly 40% of patients don't achieve their desired outcome.

The nucleus pulposus is the gel-like core of every intervertebral disc — a water-rich structure that absorbs spinal shock. Learn its composition, function, and role in disc injury.