Midwest Spine & Brain Institute at St. Croix Falls

Spine Care

Back and Neck Pain Treatment

Most people experience back or neck pain at some point in their lives. These pains will often go away on their own after a couple of days, but if you experience chronic pain daily for more than a few weeks, or severe pain that does not allow you to perform daily tasks, it’s time to seek treatment. At Kinisi Institute, experts from Midwest Spine & Brain Institute have a variety of treatments for back pain. We can help you find the cause of the pain and plan out an appropriate solution.

Located on the third floor of the St. Croix Falls Clinic, the Kinisi Institute works with a dedicated team of spine care professionals from Midwest Spine and Brain Institute, who are skilled at diagnosing spinal conditions causing back and neck pain. The spine team has extensive experience offering a wide range of treatment options for spine and brain, including surgical, interventional, minimally invasive, innovative, and traditional surgical procedures to help patients with spine and neck conditions return to a fulfilling lifestyle.

Some of the most common conditions our spine team treats include:

• Spinal stenosis — A condition where the space around your spine narrows and puts pressure on the nerves, causing pain.
• Bulging disc (herniated disc) —Each vertebra of the spine (the bones that make up the spine) is separated by a rubbery “disc” of cartilage that absorbs impact. When this disc slips out of place and causes pain it is called a bulging or herniated disc.
• Scoliosis —This is an abnormal curvature of the spine which causes it to slant more sideways instead of upright.
• Bone spurs —This is an abnormal growth of bone that forms on the edge of the vertebrae. Bone spurs can narrow the space around the spinal cord and pinch the nerves, causing pain or numbness.
• Kyphosis (Hump) - Kyphosis may cause fatigue, back pain and stiffness and may be evident by a rounded back appearance or “hump”. Kyphosis can be caused by degenerative disc disease, osteoporosis, compression fractures, injury, certain diseases, tumors or spondylolisthesis (slipping of one vertebra forward on another).
• Sciatica - Sciatica may be defined as a sudden pain that radiates from the buttocks and lower back area down the back of your leg. Symptoms include a tingling or prickling sensation, pain and/or weakness. Sciatica occurs when pressure is placed on the sciatic nerve and the condition may also be referred to as “lumbar radiculopathy”.
• Spondylosis - Spondylosis is a wearing down (degeneration) of the spine caused by wear and tear on the joints. Over time, the discs become dehydrated and lose their cushion between the spinal bones. This resulting rubbing of bone-on-bone causes spurs and can be very painful.

David Chang, MD,PhD

• Spine

Dr. David Chang is a board-certified neurosurgeon specializing

in spine procedures using minimally invasive surgical techniques, often resulting in less pain and a faster recovery. Dr. Chang focuses on each patient’s spine or brain condition to find the most appropriate treatment plan for his patients to recover quicker and return to a fulfilling life.

Primary Specialty:

Board Certified Neurosurgeon

Minimally Invasive Brain & Spine Procedures

Education:

Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University, B.S.

Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, M.D., Ph.D.

Internship: Mount Sinai Hospital, General Surgery

Residency: Mount Sinai Hospital, Neurosurgery

Fellowship: NIH-NINDS, Neurosurgical Fellowship

Certifications:

American Board of Neurological Surgery

Licenses:

Minnesota Board of Medical Practice

Wisconsin Board of Medical Examiners

Eric Salman, PA-C

• Spine

Eric has more than 20 years of experience in evaluation and treatment of patients with back and neck pain. Eric works closely with Dr. Chang, as well as the rest of the Spine Team.

Education & Certification:

• Bachelor of Medical Science - Physician Assistant Studies
  Midwestern University
  Downers Grove, IL
• Physician Assistant Program
  Midwestern University
  Downers Grove, IL

Contact us to learn more about the services and care we provide.