About The Lumbar Center
The Lumbar Center.
The Lumbar Center provides comprehensive care for patients with lumbar spine disorders and conditions affecting the lower back. Our team evaluates every patient with a thorough history, imaging, and a focused plan that starts with non surgical care and escalates only when needed.
Common Diagnoses
Conditions treated at the Lumbar Center.
Foot Drop
Foot drop is a common diagnosis when the L5 nerve is compressed from a disc herniation, foraminal stenosis, or spondylolisthesis. Patients cannot dorsiflex or lift the foot while walking.
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Low Back Pain
Low back pain is the most common condition affecting the lumbar spine, producing discomfort in over six to twelve million Americans per year. Pain generators include muscle, joint, and nerve.
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Lumbar Degeneration
Lumbar degeneration, also known as lumbar arthritis, degenerative disc disease, or degenerative joint disease, usually affects patients after the age of forty. It can cause low back pain, leg pain, or both.
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Lumbar Disc Herniation
A lumbar disc herniation occurs when a piece of disc material breaks off and compresses a nerve or the thecal sac. Most symptomatic disc herniations resolve on their own over time.
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Lumbar Fracture
A lumbar fracture is a break or crack in one or more of the vertebrae in the lower back. Severity and treatment approach vary widely with the type and extent of the injury.
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Lumbar Radiculopathy
Lumbar radiculopathy is usually due to a lumbar disc herniation or foraminal stenosis. Pain can radiate down the leg based on which nerve root is compressed.
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Lumbar Spondylolisthesis
Lumbar spondylolisthesis, or bone slip, is when one vertebra is shifted relative to another, most commonly in the lower spine. It can cause back pain, leg pain, or both.
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Lumbar Stenosis
Lumbar stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that most often occurs at L4-5 or L3-4. It is a key cause of neurogenic claudication and typically worsens over time.
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Neurogenic Claudication
Neurogenic claudication is a symptom caused by central lumbar stenosis. Pain travels down the legs bilaterally when walking and improves with sitting or leaning forward.
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Spinal Cord Tumor
Spinal cord tumors are usually benign in adults and malignant in children. Treatment requires a multidisciplinary team and careful assessment of location, growth, and symptoms.
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Patient questions
What should I know about lumbar spine care?
We treat lumbar disc herniation, stenosis, spondylolisthesis, radiculopathy, degeneration, fractures, foot drop, neurogenic claudication, and selected spinal cord tumors. Each patient receives imaging review and a plan that starts with non surgical care when appropriate.
Surgery is considered when there is a progressive neurological deficit, severe pain that limits function after conservative care, or cauda equina symptoms. Many disc herniations improve within six to twelve weeks without surgery.
Many patients walk the day of surgery and return to desk work within two to four weeks. Heavy lifting and twisting are restricted for about six weeks. Your surgeon provides activity guidelines based on your job and overall health.
We use physical therapy, anti inflammatory medication, epidural steroid injections, radiofrequency ablation, and coordinated pain management. Acupuncture may help selected muscle spasm patterns without nerve compression.
Start your recovery
What should I do next for spine care?
Take the first step toward a pain free life. Schedule a consultation to explore advanced spine surgery options at the Institute For Spine Surgery. Our expert team guides you through a personalized plan for optimal recovery.
- Board certified neurosurgery
- 4,000+ spine surgeries performed