Spine Care

UCLA Health excellence in spine care

At the UCLA Health Spine Center, you’ll find comprehensive, world-class care for spinal injuries, disorders and disease. Our nationally recognized team can treat even the most complex conditions using advanced techniques. As leaders in innovative spine care, we’re proud to offer:

Advanced spine treatments: Our spine specialists deliver leading-edge treatments for spine injuries and disorders. The UCLA Spine Center is one of only 50 training centers in the country that teaches surgeons the proper technique for disc arthroplasty (disc replacement). UCLA Health orthopaedic experts also were the first to discover how to use the body’s own natural proteins to speed healing and reduce pain after spine fusion surgery.

Less-invasive surgical techniques: Our experienced surgeons use computers, detailed imaging and robotic technology to guide several spine surgeries. This technology allows us to perform complex surgical procedures with greater precision and better outcomes.

Recognized expertise: The UCLA Health Spine Center is a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery. This designation is granted by the Blue Cross Blue Shield association. Our program also has earned recognition for successful surgical outcomes and very low post-op readmission rates. These distinctions reflect our commitment to outstanding patient care.

Integrated care: Experts from neurosurgery and orthopaedics work together under one roof. Using this coordinated approach, our specialists address issues that affect the spine, nerves and brain. We discuss our patients’ treatment plans and work as a team to streamline excellent care. Patients can also get X-rays and physical therapy in the same building.

Our areas of care

At the UCLA Health Spine Center, we offer the full spectrum of care for people with spinal injuries, disorders and disease. Our specialists work together to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered treatments. Our expertise includes:

Advanced, on-site diagnostics: For your convenience, we offer in-house X-rays and other imaging services. Our experts also perform electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies in the UCLA Health Spine Center to diagnose the cause of nerve damage. We offer these services to deliver the most accurate diagnosis and coordinated care.

Collaborative treatment plans: Our spine experts use a shared decision-making process to determine the treatment plan that best fits your lifestyle, goals and overall health. We help you understand your options and ensure that you’re comfortable and confident with the plan.

Convenient physical therapy (PT): Rehabilitation and PT are essential to nearly every orthopaedic treatment and recovery plan. The UCLA Health Spine Center offers PT, specialized ultrasounds, force-plate equipment to measure gait and balance, and orthotics services, all in the same building. Our state-of-the-art facility includes a 4,000-square-foot gym with virtual technology. The facility’s convenient location enables us to incorporate PT into treatments and maximize healing.

Back pain conditions we treat

Our experts treat the full range of conditions and disorders affecting the spine. Some of these conditions are present at birth (congenital); others develop over time or result from trauma, age or disease.

We understand back pain can be debilitating. In addition to causing stiffness and mobility problems, back pain can significantly impact your quality of life. Our experts use advanced treatments to deliver comprehensive care for people with:

Adult scoliosis and adolescent scoliosis: Curvature of the spine
Arthritis: Types of arthritis include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, facet joint arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis
Chiari malformation: A congenital condition that causes brain tissue in the back of the skull to grow down into the spinal canal (tubular area that contains the spinal cord)
Degenerative disc disease and other disc problems: Conditions that affect the cushions between the spinal bones (vertebrae), including herniated disc (slipped disc)
Fibromyalgia: A condition that causes pain all over the body.
Osteomyelitis: Inflammation in the bones
Spinal cord injuries: Damage to the spinal cord (nerve bundle that connects to the brain) that can cause paralysis
Spinal stenosis: Narrowing of the space around the spinal cord and nerves that branch off of it
Spine fractures: Breaks in the vertebrae in the spine
Tethered cord: An abnormal attachment between the spine and spinal cord
Tumors on the spinal cord: Growths and cysts on the spinal cord

Treatments we offer

Our experts use a multispecialty approach to care. Together they determine the most appropriate treatment for each patient. As a team, we carefully consider nonsurgical and surgical options to ensure the best possible outcome. We specialize in:

Nonsurgical spine treatments

Our spine experts are dedicated to providing nonsurgical and minimally invasive treatments. We use the latest innovations in technology and therapies to deliver effective treatments, such as:

Customized physical therapy: We tailor rehabilitation programs and aquatic therapy for each injury or condition.
Injections for pain: We offer corticosteroid injections, trigger point injections and Botox®.
Radiofrequency ablation: This procedure uses high levels of heat to block nerve pain.
Spinal cord stimulation: This innovative technique helps people with a spinal cord injury by restoring hand movement and function.

Surgical spine treatments

If you need surgery for a spine injury or condition, you’re in expert hands. Our outstanding spine surgeons perform leading-edge procedures effectively and safely. We specialize in minimally invasive techniques that involve less pain and recovery time. Our expertise includes:

Biologic for fusion: A revolutionary technique that uses the body’s own proteins to speed healing and reduce pain after spine fusion surgery
Disc arthroplasty: Disc replacement using an artificial disc
Microdiscectomy: A minimally invasive procedure to remove part of a herniated disc
Image-guided spine surgery: A technique that uses robotic assistance for advanced precision
Lumbar fusion surgeries: Includes the minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) technique that uses smaller incisions and speeds recovery
Spinal alignment surgery: Includes several techniques to correct the spine’s alignment, restore posture and reduce pain

Meet our team

Our nationally recognized team brings together specialists in orthopaedics and neurosurgery. We work with radiologists, physiatrists, physical therapists and pain management experts to bring you comprehensive care.