Our Health Program

Our Health Care Process

BASIC is a comprehensive spine care and pain management center. Some patients with back or neck pain may require surgery, however most are able to improve with alternative minimally invasive treatment.

Common minimally invasive treatments include physical therapy, pain management, epidural injections, stem cell injections, chiropractic adjustments, massage, and even acupuncture. A patient does not have to undergo all of these, but most will have tried at least one or two before turning to surgery to treat their pain.

At BASIC, we can guide you through the appropriate treatment, as not every option will be a good choice for every patient. A thorough history and physical exam along with review of imaging studies, such as MRI, CT, or X-ray will help us to determine what the appropriate treatment is for you.

If surgery is necessary, you can be confident you will be in good hands.

To a patient, the healthcare process can sometimes seem like a bewildering ride from the doctor to the physical therapist to the hospital. At BASIC Spine, we seek to make this process the least taxing we can. One great thing about our practice is that we have several disciplines under the same roof. This is convenient for the patient because you will not have to skip all over town to get to the specialist you need. You simply need to visit your local BASIC Spine location to access a world of healthcare opportunities.

We want you to view your time with us as a pleasure. Although we are not pleased that you have back pain, we are happy to guide you through our process for eliminating it. If you have any questions along the way, be sure to ask one of our compassionate healthcare workers, and they will do everything in their power to help you understand the process.

Initial Visits

Your journey with BASIC Spine starts with the consultation visit. During this appointment, you will meet with the surgeons and outline the problems you are having with you back. We will take a comprehensive medical history and perform a full physical examination to gauge where you are in your condition’s process. We will take the time to listen fully to your symptoms and make a definitive medical care plan to help you achieve your goal of a pain free back.

You may need to have several initial consultations with our staff before we can move on to treatments. For instance, if you have severe back pain, you will need to have an initial consultation with our pain management doctor. You may also be suffering from psychological issues due to your pain, and that would necessitate a consultation with our pain management psychologist. Fortunately, all of these professionals are in the same practice, and you can easily make appointments at that location to see them all.

Tests and Diagnosis

Of course, a diagnosis cannot be made with a history and physical alone. You will likely need diagnostic tests for our doctors to know exactly what your condition is and how to treat it. Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRIs, can help the doctors fully visualize your spine and surrounding structures to make a good diagnosis. In addition, computed tomography scans, or CT scans, and simple x-rays are also vital in determining the state of the spine. Blood tests and an EKG will be necessary to get a baseline on your health. Fortunately, you can have these procedures and many more performed at one of the many hospitals we are affiliated with.

Once you have the diagnostic tests performed, it will take a week or so for the results to get back to the physicians. They will look them over and determine what the best course of action is for your condition. You will need to schedule an appointment after you have your tests performed to consult with the doctor about the results of the tests. Once the doctor has a clearer picture of your condition with the test results, he can move on to treating the condition with any of the various treatments and procedures we offer.

Treatments and Procedure

Many patients mistakenly think that the only cure for back and neck pain is a surgical procedure. Although some patients do need surgery on their back, it is not the first step in the treatment ladder. We prefer to use other treatments to attempt to heal the condition without resorting to surgery.

One possibility for treatment is chiropractic. In many cases of back pain, adjustments to the spine can help to realign it and reduce pain. In addition, a great deal of chiropractic focuses on physical therapy and exercises. Before resorting to surgery, we try these methods of healing your back first.

Medication is a common treatment for back pain, and it is often used concurrently with physical therapy. We have a pain management doctor on staff that can help you to find the best combination of pain medications and ease your discomfort. There are many different types of medications used in back pain management, such as some antidepressants and anti-seizure medications, that our doctor can prescribe for you.

Another common treatment that is slightly more invasive is injection therapy. One of the doctors can inject pain medication and anti-inflammatory agents directly into the membranes around the spine. This is usually done under a special x-ray called fluoroscopy, and it can relieve back pain without the use of invasive surgery. Many injections are available for a wide range of conditions, and this can be helpful in relieving pain. For instance, the stem cell therapy we offer is injected into the spine, and it has shown promise in providing relief.

Finally, if you should need surgery, our doctors will be able to provide that for you, as well. You can choose a local hospital for your procedure that we are affiliated with. As a practice, it is our philosophy to use the most minimally invasive surgeries possible. We rarely perform open surgeries with long incisions, and we are on the cutting edge of minimally invasive technology. If you condition requires surgery, we are among the best neurosurgeons in southern California.

If you would like to begin your journey to decreased back pain, we are ready and eager to help you find relief. Contact us today for your initial consultation to get the ball rolling.