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Spine Care

Whether you’re dealing with back pain, a spine injury, or a chronic condition like scoliosis, we bring together specialists across Mass General Brigham to diagnose spinal disorders and provide personalized treatment, from nonsurgical care to advanced surgery and rehabilitation.

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Advanced spine care for every patient

At Mass General Brigham, we provide comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for the full spectrum of spine and neck conditions. From common back pain to complex spinal disorders, our team works together to understand your needs, personalize your treatment, and support every step of your care.
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Comprehensive services for spinal disorders

At Mass General Brigham, you receive coordinated care from spine specialists across orthopedics, neurosurgery, pain management, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and neurology. Our spine specialists combine advanced expertise with the latest surgical techniques to reduce pain, restore movement, and help you return to the activities you love.

Conditions we treat

Our specialists care for common and complex conditions affecting the spine, spinal cord, nerves, discs and surrounding structures.

Conditions we treat include:

  • Spine tumors

    • Intradural spinal cord tumors, including meningioma and schwannoma
    • Primary bone tumors of the spine such as chordoma and giant cell tumor
    • Metastatic spinal tumors

  • Spine trauma, including spinal cord injury and spine fractures

  • Spinal cord compression

  • Degenerative disc disease

  • Spinal stenosis

  • Spinal vascular malformations

  • CSF leaks

Spinal restoration and rehabilitation

Not all spine problems require surgery. Many effective treatments are led by our spine physiatrists. These are physicians who specialize in non-surgical care for the spine, muscles, and nerves.

You may benefit from:

  • Spinal cord stimulation
  • Epidural steroid injections
  • Facet blocks or ablations
  • Kyphoplasty
  • Physical therapy

Spine surgery

When surgery is the best option, our spine surgeons perform advanced procedures. When possible, we perform minimally invasive procedures through small incisions to help you heal faster.

Depending on your condition, your surgical options may include:

  • Decompression

    • Discectomy
    • Laminectomy
    • Minimally invasive decompression

  • Spinal fusion

    • Minimally invasive spinal fusion

  • Complex spinal reconstruction

    • Deformity corrections
    • Tumor resection and reconstruction

  • Motion-preserving spine surgery

    • Disc arthroplasty
    • Laminoplasty
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Our approach to spine care

Mass General Brigham is home to world-recognized spine experts from some of the best hospitals in New England. When you choose Mass General Brigham for spine care, you benefit from:
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A coordinated team for spine care

From your first consultation through recovery, we provide seamless, multidisciplinary care. Care team members may include:

  • Neurologists
  • Neurosurgeons
  • Orthopedic spine surgeons
  • Pain management experts and anesthesiologists
  • Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists
  • Interventional radiologists

Because all of your care happens within Mass General Brigham, your providers share information seamlessly, helping you recover faster and easier.

Specialization in spine physiatry

Spine physiatrists are physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating spine, muscle, and nerve conditions using nonsurgical approaches. They focus on reducing pain, improving mobility, and helping patients avoid or delay surgery when possible.

At Mass General Brigham, our physiatrists collaborate closely with orthopedic and neurosurgical spine specialists. They may recommend therapies such as:

  • Targeted physical rehabilitation
  • Image-guided spinal injections
  • Nerve blocks
  • Other minimally invasive procedures to relieve pain and restore function
Nonsurgical spinal treatments

Not all spine problems require surgery. Many effective treatments are led by our spine physiatrists. These are physicians who specialize in non-surgical care for the spine, muscles, and nerves.

You may benefit from:

  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation to strengthen muscles and improve posture
  • Image-guided injections or nerve blocks to reduce inflammation and pain
  • Bracing or assistive devices for alignment and support
  • Medications to relieve symptoms
  • Activity modifications and ergonomic guidance to prevent re-injury
Advanced spinal surgeries

When surgery is the best option, our spine surgeons perform advanced procedures. When possible, we perform minimally invasive procedures through small incisions to help you heal faster.

The type of spine surgery you need depends on the diagnosis. We offer:

  • Spinal decompression to take pressure off nerves
  • Spinal fusion to stabilize the spine and ease nerve pain
  • Motion-preserving surgery (disc arthroplasty) to replace a damaged disc with an artificial one
  • Complex spinal reconstruction to correct spinal curvatures like scoliosis and other spinal problems
  • Spinal tumor surgery to remove spinal cord and nerve sheath tumors
Recovery support and rehabilitation
Your plan may include rehabilitation to help restore strength, mobility, and confidence with daily activity. We coordinate follow-up care and help you understand what to expect at each stage of recovery. Rehabilitation may take place in the hospital or in an outpatient setting, including through Spaulding Rehabilitation, depending on your needs.
Specialized care for complex needs

Some conditions require highly specialized care, such as:

  • Scoliosis
  • Spine tumors
  • Persistent pain after spine treatment

In these cases, we coordinate care across specialties through multidisciplinary discussion boards so you can access the right expertise and supportive services in one system.

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Our approach

Treatments for common and complex spinal disorders

Our spine specialists offer advanced nonsurgical and surgical treatments for many types of spinal disorders. The conditions and treatments below represent a sample of the care we provide.
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Conditions and treatments

Our spine specialists

Your care is coordinated by a team of specialists in orthopedics, neurosurgery, pain management, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and neurology. This team works together to understand your condition from every angle and develop a care plan tailored to you.
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Find a spine surgery specialist
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Specialists
You have access to specialized programs and services across Mass General Brigham. Our teams work together to coordinate the care you need, including pain management, rehabilitation, and surgical expertise when appropriate.

  • Spine Surgery Program

    Our nationally recognized spine surgeons expertly perform spinal decompression, spinal fusion, and other spinal surgeries. Learn how we treat spinal disorders.

  • Neuroscience Institute

    Get expert care for brain and nervous system disorders at the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute. Explore programs, find specialists, and request an appointment.

  • Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

    Mass General Brigham provides expert orthopedic and sports medicine care close to home, including total joint replacement. Explore our specialized services.

  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Services

    Access comprehensive physical medicine and rehabilitation care at Mass General Brigham and Spaulding Rehabilitation in Greater Boston.

  • Spine Surgery Program

    Our nationally recognized spine surgeons expertly perform spinal decompression, spinal fusion, and other spinal surgeries. Learn how we treat spinal disorders.

  • Pain Management

    Get advanced pain management in Greater Boston. Mass General Brigham specialists treat chronic and acute pain, including back, cancer, and nerve pain.

  • Musculoskeletal (Orthopedic) Rehabilitation Program

    The Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Program at Spaulding Rehabilitation helps you recover from orthopedic injuries and conditions to return to daily life and the activities you enjoy. Learn more about our care.

  • Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program

    Spaulding Rehabilitation provides coordinated, compassionate care to help patients rehabilitate from spinal cord injuries and return to daily life. Learn more about our program.

  • Neurological Rehabilitation Program

    Neurological rehabilitation at Spaulding involves skilled physical, occupational and speech/language therapy services for a range of neurological disorders. Learn more.

  • Pain and Functional Restoration Program

    Get personalized pain management for musculoskeletal pain conditions, including back, neck, and joint problems.

  • Peripheral Nerve Disorders Service

    We diagnose and treat peripheral nerve injuries, tumors, and other conditions affecting the nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body.

  • Peripheral Nerve Surgery Program

    The Peripheral Nerve Surgery Program specializes in evaluating, diagnosing and treating patients with peripheral nerve disorders, including peripheral neuropathy, compression neuropathies such as carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral nerve injuries, painful nerves (neuromas) and nerve tumors.

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Services and programs

Spine clinical trials and research

Our research is shaping the future of spine care. We offer access to clinical trials and emerging therapies, including treatments that may not yet be widely available. Eligibility depends on a person’s diagnosis, treatment history, and more. Explore our research and clinical trials or talk with your care team to learn about available options.
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Explore our neuroscience research

Learn how neuroscience research informs patient care

https://research.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/institutes-centers/neuroscience-institute
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Search clinical trials

Search open clinical trials for neurological conditions

https://rally.massgeneralbrigham.org/
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Explore our orthopedics research

Learn how orthopedic research informs patient care

https://research.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/institutes-centers/orthopedics-department-research
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Research

Explore articles featuring expert insights on neuroscience, patient experiences, and tips for managing a neurological diagnosis.

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Contact Spine Care

Call us to speak with a team member who can help you understand your options and guide you to the care that is right for you. With locations throughout New England and support for patients traveling from outside the United States, we make it easier to access coordinated, expert care.
Phone

Orthopedics

Mass General Brigham
617-732-9687

Neurosurgery

Brigham and Women's Hospital
617-732-6600

Massachusetts General Hospital
617-726-2937

International
International Patient Services
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Contact