If you suffer from back pain, know you’re not alone. Back pain is one of the most common medical conditions with 80% of adults experiencing it during their lifetimes.

The spine is our body’s central support structure. It keeps us upright and connects the different parts of our skeleton to each other: our head, chest, pelvis, shoulders, arms and legs. The most important function of the spine is to protect the spinal cord, which is the nerve supply for the entire body originating in the brain.

Even minor problems with your spine can have a major impact on your life leaving you with weakness or numbness in your arms and legs, joint pain, headaches, limited range of motion, trouble using your hands or even just walking. Many conditions, diseases, or injuries can cause problems with your back including car accidents, lifting heavy weights, sprains, strains, arthritis, osteoporosis, fractures, sports injuries and age-related degenerative disease.

At Colorado Center of Orthopaedic Excellence, we are privileged to offer one of the most experienced cutting-edge spine doctors in all of Colorado Springs; Dr. Douglas Crowther. Our esteemed specialist is Fellowship-trained to treat spine conditions exclusively. This focus allows him to dedicate more time to spine-specific research, patient education, and new surgical techniques.

Dr. Crowther understands the intricacies of the spine and is dedicated to providing quality, state-of-the-art care for a wide range of conditions involving the upper, middle, and lower sections of the spine.

Some of these include:

• Bulging and herniated discs
• Spinal Stenosis
• Degenerative Disc Disease
• Scoliosis and Congenital Spine Deformities
• Sciatica
• Whiplash
• Slipped Vertebrae – spondylolisthesis
• Stress Fracture – spondylolysis
• Spinal Tumors

The majority of spine problems can be treated without surgery. In most cases, our spine specialist will refer you to our in-house physical therapy department to try conservative treatment first. When surgery is appropriate, Dr. Crowther will perform minimally invasive techniques and utilize the latest innovations in spine surgery.

Some of the most common procedures are listed below.

• Spinal lumbar fusion
• Artificial cervical disc replacement
• Minimally invasive lateral access spine surgery
• Minimally invasive posterior fusion spine surgery
• Lumbar discectomy
• Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)
• Kyphoplasty / vertebroplasty (for spine fractures)
• Laminectomy

Dr. Crowther is committed to fostering ongoing relationships with patients built on trust, and personal attention, intent on getting you on the road to recovery and a pain-free active life. For outstanding orthopedic treatment of the neck or spine, request an appointment online or call our Colorado Springs office at (719) 623-1050.