Neck & Spine

Mid-America Orthopedics prides itself on having some of the best neck and spine specialists in the Kansas City area. We are experts in neck and back pain diagnosis, and aim to help our patients understand the root cause of their pain in addition to providing effective treatment to resolve it. Our team of orthopedic physicians have decades of combined experience.

How We Diagnose Neck Pain

To give you an idea of how our team at Mid-America Orthopedics performs neck pain diagnosis, first, we need to provide a basic understanding of the neck itself. The neck – also known as the cervical spine – consists of the upper seven vertebrae which connect the skull to the chest.

The most common symptoms associated with neck pain include stiffness, muscle spasms, headaches, and shooting pain that may be accompanied by numbness, tingling, or weakness. It’s important to note that there are several potential causes of neck pain including sprain and strain injuries, degenerative disc disease, arthritis, pinched nerves, and disc herniations. Neck pain can be also caused by serious non-spine related issues such as carotid artery dissection, head and neck cancer, and referred pain from myocardial infarction (heart attack).

How We Diagnose Back Pain

Mid-America Orthopedics also performs back pain diagnosis for patients. The upper and mid back – also called the thoracic spine – consists of the next twelve vertebrae beneath the vertebrae of the neck. They are unique for their connection to the rib cage. The rib cage provides a level of stability not found in the cervical and lumbar spine, and so thoracic pain is generally less frequent than cervical pain.

Common forms of mid-back pain or discomfort include radicular symptoms in the form of numbness, burning, electrical, or shooting pain that wraps around the ribs. In some situations, pain in the mid-back may represent pain originating from the lower cervical spine.

In our experience, we have found that mid-back pain is most commonly mechanical in nature. We can usually source back pain to factors such as trauma, poor posture, overuse, and poor conditioning. Those with trauma or suffering from osteoporosis can develop pain related to vertebral compression fractures. Disc herniations, rib fractures, and spinal tumors are also frequently associated with mid-back pain or mimic radicular pain.