SPONSORED ADVERTISING BY NORTHSHORE UNIVERSITY HEALTHSYSTEM: Advancements in spine surgery

SPONSORED ADVERTISING BY NORTHSHORE UNIVERSITY HEALTHSYSTEM: We never think about how much we use our back for until we are in pain. Even simple tasks such as walking or carrying a backpack or purse are difficult when the back is aggravated.

Most back pain requires minor intervention, including over-the-counter medications.

But when back pain feels like something more or you are taking pain relievers for more than a week and a half, it’s important to speak with a spine specialist right away.

With minimally invasive back surgery as an option, it achieves the same results as traditional operations on the spine, but is performed using much smaller incisions with little or no cutting of muscle.

Dr. Mark Nolden, spine surgeon at NorthShore Orthopaedic and Spine Institute, talks more about it in this week's Conversations in Health.