Healthscope Orthopaedics Services

Your spine has a key role in your wellbeing. It keeps you upright, protects vital nerves, and allows you to move freely in many directions.

Our world-class orthopaedic specialists are experts in managing spinal conditions. They offer the most up to date treatments and surgical techniques, tailored to suit your needs.

Spinal conditions

As a complex structure, the spine can be affected by a wide range of conditions. It is also susceptible to trauma.

There's a wide range of spinal conditions out there, and each one is managed differently depending on its severity. If you're dealing with a serious injury or condition like a fracture or infection, it's important to get medical help right away. On the other hand, if you're dealing with something like disc disease or arthritis, you may need longer term management.

If your spine is affected by disease or injury, it can cause significant pain and discomfort. It can also cause problems with everything from simple daily tasks to your ability to work and play.

Common spinal diseases

The list of spinal diseases includes:

Arthritis

The spine can be affected by various types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.

Osteoporosis

In this disease, bones become weak and brittle. This can lead to breaks called compression fractures.

Spinal tumours

Bone tumours can affect the vertebrae. Most are benign (non-cancerous) but some bone tumours are malignant (cancerous). Tumours can start in the bone or spread to the spine from other parts of the body.

Sciatica

This term describes nerve pain that travels down the leg. It can result from any condition that puts pressure on nerves, such as spinal stenosis or a herniated disc.

Scoliosis

A sideways curve in the spine, which is most often found in children and adolescents.

Chronic neck or back pain

Chronic pain is a condition in which pain continues for more than three months.

Degenerative disc disease

Wear and tear of the discs between the vertebrae.

Spinal stenosis

Narrowing of the spinal canal, which can lead to pressure on nerves.

Infection

An infection of the skin or other soft tissues can occasionally lead to a bone infection (osteomyelitis).

Spine injury and trauma

Injuries affecting the spine include:

Prolapsed disc

This occurs when the jelly-like inner part of the disc bulges against its outer ring. This may result from a sudden injury or wear and tear. Pressure from the bulge can lead to lower back and leg pain. This condition is also known as a herniated, bulging, or slipped disc.

Soft tissue injuries

This is a type of soft tissue injury in the neck. Whiplash is caused by a sudden force that moves the head in one direction, then back rapidly the other way – most often during a car accident.

Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis

Spondylolysis is a weakness or stress fracture in one of the vertebrae, usually in the lower back. It occurs most often in adolescents who do sports that strain the back repeatedly, such as gymnastics. If the bone becomes sufficiently weakened, a vertebra can slip forward. This is known as a spondylolisthesis.

Fractures

Bones in the spine can break. Spinal fractures usually result from significant trauma, such as a car accident, fall from a height or a serious sporting injury. Some conditions – including osteoporosis and bone tumours – can make it easier for bones to break.

Spinal cord injuries

Trauma such as a sporting injury or car accident can also damage the spinal cord, leading to loss of feeling and function. These serious injuries need urgent and specialised medical care.

Whiplash

A sideways curve in the spine, which is most often found in children and adolescents.

Spinal disease and injury diagnosis

To find the cause of your spinal problem, your health professional will do different things depending on how and when it occurred. If you’ve suffered a suspected spinal fracture, for example, an emergency doctor will order imaging tests such as an X-ray, CT scan or MRI to see what’s happening in your spine.

They will also look for signs of damage to other tissues, such as nerves or blood vessels, which could be serious if not treated. An orthopaedic specialist will often be consulted to help make the diagnosis and decide on the best course of action.

If your injury is less severe or you’ve had symptoms for a while, your doctor will probably see you in their rooms. They will ask questions like how your symptoms started and how they affect your daily life. They will examine your spine, checking for things like tenderness, irregularities, and pain or limited movement.

Your doctor might also refer you for imaging tests, along with blood or other laboratory tests. These can help provide a more complete picture of your spinal condition. Your doctor might refer you to an orthopaedic specialist for a review and opinion.

How are spinal injuries and diseases treated?

Spinal conditions come in a wide range of types and severities, which will affect how they’re managed. A serious injury or condition such as a fracture or infection needs urgent medical attention, whereas disc disease or arthritis may need long-term management.

Non-surgical management of spinal conditions

For most spinal diseases and injuries, treatment involves relieving symptoms, support to get back to your usual activities, and ensuring damaged tissues have the best chance of healing.

Non-surgical treatments used to manage spinal problems include:

Lifestyle changes – such as modifying your working environment or getting support to achieve a healthy weight.

Physiotherapy – to ease symptoms and treat underlying issues such as stiffness, muscle weakness or poor movement patterns.

Medications – such as pain killers and anti-inflammatories.

Exercises – to improve flexibility, strength and movement control.

Heat or cold therapy – to reduce inflammation and ease pain.

Corticosteroid injections – to reduce pain and inflammation.

Rest from aggravating activities.

Surgery for spinal conditions

Some spinal problems need surgery to repair or replace damaged tissues and help ensure you have the best chance of making a good recovery. Your specialist might also recommend surgery if other treatment options haven’t eased your symptoms.

Surgery can sometimes be performed arthroscopically (through keyholes using a special camera and instruments), but some procedures need to be done in the traditional manner.

Your orthopaedic surgeon can discuss your options with you and provide guidance about the best course of action in your situation.

Surgeries used to manage spinal injuries and diseases include:

Decompression

These procedures aim to relieve pain by reducing pressure on nerves. Your surgeon may trim away bony spurs or bulging disc material or create a wider opening to allow nerves more freedom to move.

Stabilisation

Spinal fractures can be unstable, which can lead to serious spinal cord or nerve damage. These injuries may need to be stabilised surgically using special pins, plates, rods or screws.

Spinal fusion

This aims to ease pain by preventing movement of an affected joint. Your surgeon will remove the soft tissue between two vertebrae and replace it with bone or metal. Over time, the bones fuse together – just like the ends of a broken bone knit together. With the painful joint no longer there, symptoms should go away. Fusion surgery might also be recommended to manage severe scoliosis.

Disc replacement

This involves relacing a damaged or degenerated disc with an artificial one.

How long does it take to recover from a spinal problem?

Recovery time can vary significantly depending on the type and severity of your condition. It will also depend on factors like your age, lifestyle and goals. For example, a back or neck strain might get better in a few weeks, whereas it could take a year or more to recover from a spinal fracture. Some spinal conditions (such as arthritis) are not curable, so treatment focuses on managing symptoms and helping you live well.

You might need rehabilitation after a significant spine injury or surgery to restore movement, function and the ability to do things like drive, work and participate in sports or hobbies.

Your orthopaedic surgeon can provide personalised advice about how long it should take to recover from your spinal condition.