Wellness

• Your spine connects more than you think: It’s not just your back—it’s how your body moves, feels and functions every day.
• Spine conditions are complex. Getting answers—and the right treatment—depends on expert evaluation.
• At UC Health, specialists work together to guide your care from diagnosis to recovery.

At the UC Health Back, Neck, Spine Center, you’ll find team-based care on your terms. You’ll have options, from nonsurgical treatments to the most complex procedures. Be seen quickly. Call 513-418-2225 to schedule an appointment—no referral needed.

Why Spine Care Should Never Be One-Size-Fits-All

Back or neck pain often starts small. A stiff morning. A sore lower back after work. Easy to ignore. But your spine does more than support your body—it protects the nerves that control movement, sensation and balance. When something is off, the effects can ripple outward.

You might notice:

• Tingling in your arms or legs
• Weakness or trouble walking
• Pain that travels down your back or into your limbs
• Trouble sleeping or staying active

It’s easy to think, “It’s just back pain.” But sometimes, it’s your body asking for more complete care.

At UC Health, spine care isn’t just about treating pain. It’s about understanding how everything is connected—and building a plan that fits your life so you can feel like yourself again.

Why Spine Health Impacts Your Whole Body

Your spine isn’t just a structure—it’s your body’s central communication system.

Running through it is the spinal cord, a network of nerves that carries signals between your brain and the rest of your body. When the spine is compressed, inflamed or unstable, those signals can be disrupted.

That’s why spine conditions don’t always stay in your back or neck.

Patients often come to us with:

• Nerve pain radiating into the arms or legs
• Numbness or tingling
• Muscle weakness
• Difficulty with balance or coordination

In more advanced cases, spine conditions can affect mobility, independence and overall quality of life.

At the UC Health Back, Neck, Spine Center, our team looks beyond the surface symptom. We evaluate how your spine condition is affecting your whole body—so treatment is not just targeted, but complete.

Instead of isolated care, you benefit from coordinated expertise across neuroscience, orthopaedics, pain management and rehabilitation—working together to understand the full picture before recommending next steps.

Because when the spine is treated correctly, everything it connects to has a chance to improve.

Why Choosing the Right Spine Care Team Matters

Not all spine care is the same.

Some patients move from provider to provider—managing symptoms without clear answers. Others are told surgery is the only option before exploring less invasive care.

At UC Health, your care starts with a complete evaluation—not just where it hurts, but why.

Our specialists work together across disciplines to review your condition, imaging and goals before recommending a path forward. That means:

• You’re not rushed into surgery if it’s not needed
• You’re not left managing pain without answers
• You get a plan built specifically for your condition and your unique needs

As the region’s only adult academic health system, UC Health brings together advanced expertise and groundbreaking research in one place—so you more options to choose from.

Inside the UC Health Back, Neck, Spine Center

When spine care requires more than a single opinion, coordination matters.

At the UC Health Back, Neck, Spine Center, patients benefit from a team built to treat both routine and highly complex spine conditions—all in one place.

Our program brings together fellowship-trained specialists across eight subspecialties, including neurosurgery, orthopaedics and sports medicine, pain management and rehabilitation.

Patients also have access to:

• A dedicated neurosciences intensive care unit (ICU) for complex cases
• Highly experienced nursing teams trained in spine and neurological care
• 24/7 neurosurgical coverage for urgent and emergency needs
• Care available across Clifton, Florence, Midtown and West Chester

Whether your condition is common or complex, your care team works together from the start—focused on delivering the right care at the right time, on your terms.

Conditions We Treat

Spine conditions can range from everyday discomfort to complex disorders affecting mobility and nerve function.

At UC Health, we’re passionate about treating the full spectrum:

Degenerative & Common Conditions

• Herniated discs
• Degenerative disc disease
• Lumbar spinal stenosis
• Sciatica
• Cervical radiculopathy

Structural & Stability Conditions

• Adult spinal deformity and scoliosis
• Spinal instability
• Spinal fractures

Complex & Advanced Conditions

• Spinal cord injury
• Benign and malignant spine and spinal cord tumors
• Spine infections
• Complex revision spine surgery

Every diagnosis begins with a comprehensive evaluation—so your treatment reflects the full picture, not just one symptom.

A Full Spectrum of Spine Treatment Options

No two spine conditions are exactly alike. That’s why treatment at UC Health is personalized and starts with nonsurgical treatments when possible.

Nonsurgical & Interventional Care

Many patients find relief without surgery through:

• Epidural steroid injections
• Nerve blocks and spinal joint injections
• Pain management guided by specialists
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation
• Integrative therapies, including acupuncture

Minimally Invasive & Advanced Surgical Care

When surgery is needed, our team uses cutting-edge techniques that make the smallest incisions possible, making recovery easier.

• Minimally invasive decompression
• Endoscopic and traditional discectomy
• Laminectomy
• Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty
• Sacroplasty
• Spinal fusion
• Complex deformity correction and revision surgery

Because our specialists manage both routine and highly complex cases, you benefit from expertise across the full spectrum of spine care.

What Makes UC Health Different

Choosing where to go for spine care can shape your entire outcome.

At UC Health, our Back, Neck, Spine Center uses a team approach to bring the right people together on your case. These clinicians are experts as whatever option you choose—and they put you in the driver’s seat.

Our program includes:

• Fellowship-trained spine specialists
• Experienced doctors who treat a high number of cases, including complex and revision cases
• 24/7 neurosurgical and orthopaedic spine coverage
• A dedicated neurosciences ICU
• Multidisciplinary, team-based care
• Nurse navigators to guide your journey
• Access to clinical trials and new treatments
• Convenient locations across the region, including Northern Kentucky, Cincinnati and West Chester

This level of coordination and expertise is especially important when conditions need more than the standard treatment—or when previous treatments haven’t worked.

Research & Innovation That Benefits You

As part of an academic health system, UC Health is reshaping the status quo in spine care every day.

Our teams are involved in:

• Clinical trials for new treatments
• Research in spine tumors and neurotrauma
• Development of minimally invasive techniques
• National research collaborations

For patients, this means access to the latest treatments and new options when standard care isn’t enough.

Because innovation isn’t just about what’s next—it’s about what’s possible for you right now.

When to See a Spine Specialist

You should consider seeing a specialist if you have:

• Pain lasting more than a few weeks
• Pain radiating into arms or legs
• Numbness, tingling or weakness
• Difficulty walking or balancing
• Symptoms that are getting worse

Waiting too long can limit your treatment options, especially when nerves are involved.

At UC Health, you’ll get a plan made just for you, on  your terms—So you can get back to living sooner.

Take the Next Step Toward Relief

You don’t have to keep living with spine pain.

At the UC Health Back, Neck, Spine Center, you’ll find a team focused on helping you move, function and live better.

Take the first step:

• Call 513-418-2225 and we will get you in quickly—no provider referral needed
• Visit us in Clifton, Florence, Midtown or West Chester