If you have back pain, you’re not alone. Studies have estimated that up to 80 percent of people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Most cases of back pain get better on their own, but chronic, long-term pain may be a sign of a serious spine disorder. Our Spine Center brings together specialists from many fields of expertise. These highly trained providers work together to give you the relief you need from spine pain.
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Spine Navigators
Our Spine Navigators are Advanced Practice Providers (Nurse Practitioners or Physician Assistants) who help guide you with your care every step of the way. They are available for rapid access, both in-person and virtual consultations.
Same day and walk-in appointments available
Our spine navigators are highly trained at initiating your treatment and provide you with access to the appropriate spine specialists to meet your needs. They help with education and care coordination at our multidisciplinary center, where you have access to a wide variety of services including imaging, physical and occupational therapists, physiatrists, pain management specialists, and spine surgeons.
Back in the saddle after treatment for a pinched nerve
Spine conditions treated
Our team treats a wide variety of spine-related conditions, including:
- Back and leg pain, both acute (sudden-onset) and chronic (long-term)
- Degenerative disorders of the upper and lower spine
- Disc herniations, a bulging or rupturing of a disc between the spine’s vertebrae
- Neck and arm pain, both acute and chronic
- Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column
Read Q&A about spine condition treatments
Personalized treatment
After a thorough examination and testing, you and your doctor will work together to create a personalized treatment plan based on your unique condition and medical needs. Your treatment plan may include one or more of the following:
- Injections
- Minimally invasive spine surgery
- Nonsurgical spine treatments
- Physical therapy
- Ultrasound or electrical stimulation
- Learn more
Preparing for your visit
It’s natural to have questions about what to expect from your care at the Spine Center. We’ve compiled a list of patient information regarding appointments, emergencies, and other vital information.
New Patient packet
Before your first visit, please be sure to fill out your New Patient Packet (PDF) and bring it with you to your appointment. We also ask that you pre-register for your appointment. You have two options for pre-registration:
- Pre-register online. You can pre-register starting at least seven days in advance and up to 24 hours before your appointment.
- Pre-register by phone at 617-243-5777. Please pre-register by phone if you are pre-registering less than 24 hours or one business day in advance.
Patient Stories
We’re proud to play a role in the successful treatment of patients from throughout the Greater Boston area who are dealing with spine conditions. The expertise of our providers and our team approach to care helps contribute to our patients’ good outcomes, which allows them to enjoy the activities they love without the spine pain that they may have suffered with for months or years.
Explore our patient stories for more information about our advanced care.
No matter what spine condition you’re facing, we are ready to help. Contact us for more information or to set up an appointment at the Spine Center.
The Spine Center Team
- Jessica Aidlen, MD Chief, Orthopedic Spine Surgery
- Joanne Borg-Stein, MD Chief, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Thomas Cha, MD Orthopedic Spine Surgery
- Christine Eng, MD Physiatry
- Harold Fogel, MD Orthopedic Spine Surgery
- Mitchell Hardenbrook, MD Orthopedic Spine Surgery
- Louis G. Jenis, MD Orthopedic Spine Surgery
- Dana Kotler, MD Physiatry
- Steven Makovitch, DO Physiatry
- Alec L. Meleger, MD Director, Interventional Spine Services; Physiatry
- Deirdre Rodericks, MD Sports Medicine and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Daniel Tobert, MD Orthopedic Spine Surgery
- Theresa Williamson, MD Neurosurgery
- Cara B Layman, PA-C
- Sarah Krissoff, NP
Minimally invasive spine treatments
We try to treat our patients’ spine conditions with nonsurgical options whenever possible. However, some serious or chronic spine disorders don’t respond well to these treatments. If that’s the case, spine surgery may be the answer. Our surgeons routinely perform a number of minimally invasive spine surgeries.
Advanced surgical care for painful spine conditions
- Microdisectomy
- Cervical Disc Arthoplasty
- Minimally Invasive Lumbar Fusion
- Minimally Invasive Laminectomy
These minimally invasive procedures benefit our patients in a number of ways compared to traditional open-back surgery, including:
- Less pain and blood loss
- Shorter surgery times
- Quicker recovery
Non-surgical spine treatments
The Spine Center team provides patients with a variety of treatment options, including non-surgical approaches.
Effective care without the need for spine surgery
- Botox injections for pain and spasms
- Medical acupuncture
- Osteopathic manual medicine, which involves moving joints and tissues to relieve tension and pain
- Physical therapy
- Prolotherapy, which is injection therapy to strengthen ligaments and tendons
- Trigger-point injections, which treat painful areas of muscle
- Ultrasound or electrical stimulation
- Epidural facet injections
- RFA
Request an appointment
Contact us today to schedule your appointment
Spine Center, Orthopedic Surgery Service, Newton-Wellesley Hospital
Newton-Wellesley Hospital Ambulatory Care Center – Newton
159 Wells Avenue
Newton, MA 02459
Phone: 617-243-5777
We are located in the Newton-Wellesley Hospital Ambulatory Care Center – Newton at 159 Wells Avenue in Newton. This location allows care providers across multiple specialties, including our Pain Management Service and outpatient rehabilitation, to work together and improve the patient experience.