SPINE including back and neck

Spine Surgeons in Western Montana

At Missoula Bone & Joint in Western Montana, spine surgeons Dr. Michael Woods and Dr. Zack Witte specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of spine-related conditions that may be causing your back or neck pain. They understand how this pain can limit your activities and decrease your quality of life, and their goal is to relieve your pain and restore your mobility so you can enjoy life again.

Understanding the Spine

The spine is an intricate and fragile structure. It is comprised of 25 joints that connect to 33 individual bones called vertebrae. There are 7 cervical (neck) vertebrae, 12 thoracic (mid-back) vertebrae, and 5 lumbar (low back) vertebrae. The rest of the lower vertebrae in the spine are fused together: 5 of them form the sacrum within the pelvis, while the last 4 form the tailbone (coccyx).

You also have two sacroiliac (SI) joints, one on each side of the sacrum. Reinforced by strong surrounding ligaments, these weight-bearing joints connect the sacrum and pelvis. Dr. Woods has a special interest and expertise in treating the SI joint. Learn more about SI joint pain.

In between each vertebra is a disc made of cartilage. These intervertebral discs are shock-absorbing cushions that prevent the vertebrae from wearing against each other. A network of muscles and ligaments surround and support the spine.

In a healthy back, the joints work together and permit multiple degrees of motion. If any part of the spine is compromised by damage or disease, abnormal or excessive motion of the back may result in pain. Some of the many conditions that can affect the vertebrae, discs, or joints include:

Spine Treatments - Cervical (Neck), Thoracic (Mid-Back), Lumbar (Lower Back)

Cervical (Neck):

• Anterior Cervical Discectomy
• Anterior Cervical Corpectomy and Fusion
• Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion
• Cervical Total Disc Replacement
• Cervical Foraminotomy
• Cervical Laminectomy
• Cervical Laminoplasty
• Multilevel Posterior Cervical Laminectomy and Fusion
• Posterior Cervical Microforaminotomy and Discectomy
• Pseudarthrosis/ Non-Union Failed/ Previous Cervical Surgery

Thoracic (Mid Back):

• Spinal Cord Stimulator Placement
• Adult Scoliosis Correction
• Thoracic Spinal Fusion
• Thoracic Laminectomy and Decompression
• Pseudarthrosis/ Non-Union Failed/ Previous Thoracic Surgery

Lumbar (Lower Back):

• Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF)
• Anterior Lumbar Corpectomy and Fusion
• Lumbar Laminectomy/ Neural Decompression
• Minimally Invasive Lumbar Microdiscectomy
• Instrumented Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion
• Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF)
• Spinal Decompression
• Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF)
• Spondylolisthesis Reduction and Fusion
• X-LIF Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
• Pseudarthrosis/ Non-Union Failed/ Previous Lumbar Surgery

General Conditions of the Spine:

• Bulging and herniated discs
• Spinal stenosis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Scoliosis and congenital spine deformities
• Sciatica
• Whiplash
• Slipped vertebrae - spondylolisthesis
• Stress fracture – spondylolysis
• Sacroiliac joint pain

After a thorough examination and review of your medical history, Dr. Witte or Dr. Woods, will discuss your diagnosis and treatment options. Back or neck pain can often be treated without surgery. If your doctor feels that surgery is necessary to relieve your pain, you can be confident that our spine surgeons have experience and enhanced training in performing spine surgery. Many procedures can now be performed using a minimally invasive approach, and can be performed in an Outpatient Surgery Center.

Common Back Pain Treatments (not an inclusive list):

• iFuse implant for SI joint
• Spinal lumbar fusion
• Artificial lumbar disc replacement
• 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
• Laminectomy
• Laminaplasty
• Microdiscectomy
• Spinal cord stimulation

Is back pain interfering with your life? Contact Missoula Bone & Joint at (406) 721-4436 to schedule your appointment with Dr. Zackery Witte, or Dr. Michael Woods OR use our online form to request an appointment.