At Casper Orthopedics, our board-certified and fellowship-trained spine doctors are experts in assessing, diagnosing, and treating spine injuries and conditions.

Spine doctors and spine surgeons focus their medical practice on issues of the spine as well as the spinal cord, which is the bundle of nerves that extends from the brain down the length of the spine. Spine doctors often work with patients who have a deformity or curvature of the spine, such as lordosis (sometimes called swayback) or scoliosis (a sideways curvature), which cause problems that lead to pain.

Many times people injure their spine while on the job, playing a sport, or simply performing a daily task improperly, such as carrying items that should not be lifted because they are too heavy. This often leads to injured spinal discs. For many people, their spine pain is due to an ongoing condition, such as arthritis or osteoporosis. Spine doctors understand and work with these issues on a constant basis; and because of this, they have valuable insights and expertise that allow them to accurately diagnose and appropriately treat spine conditions.

When Should You Visit a Spine Doctor?

It's important to be aware of the specific issues surrounding your spine pain so you can tell your doctor specifically what you are experiencing. Sharing this information with your doctor can help him or her better understand what might be causing your pain and what treatments to offer. Here are some common symptoms that patients with spine conditions experience:

• Difficulty standing up straight
• Normal activities, such as walking, cause back pain
• Numbness or weakness in the arms or legs
• Pain in buttocks
• Pain when turning or twisting back
• Radiating pain down the legs
• Shoulder or hip height appears different on each side
• Spine looks C-shaped with buttocks protruding

If you have any of these symptoms or are experiencing another type of spine, back, or neck pain, you may have one of the following medical conditions:

• Fractures
• Herniated or degenerative disc disease
• Kyphosis
• Lordosis
• Lumbar spondylolisthesis 
• Osteoarthritis
• Prolapsed (slipped) disc
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Scoliosis (sideways curve of the spine)
• Spinal stenosis
• Trapped nerve

To treat your back condition or injury, our spine doctor and spine surgeon will exhaust all conservative treatment options before recommending surgery.

Our spine specialists understand that back, neck, and spine pain can alter your daily lifestyle and are dedicated to getting you back to the activities you love. To schedule an appointment at one of our locations in Casper or Douglas, please call (307) 265-7205 or click on the Appointment Request button. 

If immediate attention is required for your spine injury or condition, you can visit our OrthoCare Now at our Casper location. Walk-ins are welcome, and no appointment is necessary.

Experience Proven Results at Casper Orthopedics

Specialty-trained spine doctor at Casper Orthopedics Trevor P. Gessel, M.D., and fellowship-trained spine surgeon Marko N. Tomov, M.D., provide compassionate, experienced care for injuries and conditions of the spine, back, and neck.

When a doctor or surgeon is fellowship-trained, it means they have completed an extra year of schooling that focuses on a specific body part or area of specialty, like sports medicine. With this additional training, our spine specialists have the knowledge and expertise to diagnose and treat your back, neck, or spine condition or injury. Our doctors will always use nonsurgical treatment methods before proposing surgery.

Working closely with our doctors, our specialty-trained physical and occupational therapists provide comprehensive rehabilitation services. Our entire team is focused on developing a treatment plan that is specific to your goals and needs in order to get you back to your active lifestyle.

To schedule an appointment with our orthopedic spine doctors, please call (307) 265-7205 or request an appointment online.