For your spine health needs, Overlake and EvergreenHealth have joined together to form the Eastside Neuroscience Institute. “We are encapsulating neuroscience care for the entire Eastside community, as well as the greater Puget Sound area, so we cover neurology and neurosurgery and then spine surgery as well,” said Dr. Elliot Min of Eastside Neuroscience Institute and neurosurgeon at Overlake Medical Center. Every patient’s condition and health are unique, so treatment options for neck and back pain vary. Dr. Min says back pain is actually the second leading cause of emergency visits in the United States. While some conditions will require surgery, doctors often will try more conservative treatment first. “Conditions leading to pain, numbness, weakness or tingling are all things we try to treat with conservative treatment first, but if those things fail, that’s when we discuss surgery as an option,” Dr. Min said. Treatments can include physical therapy, epidural steroid injections or nerve blocks. If surgery is needed for issues, like disc conditions and spinal tumors, technological advancements have made it safer and more efficient. These advancements include spinal robotics and ultra-minimally invasive techniques. “Every year we are seeing newer and newer advancements in our field, even within the short course of my career,” Dr. Min said. “There have been a lot of strides, specifically in robotics and spinal endoscopy.” Providers are also focused on enhanced recovery after spine surgery. This means minimizing the time patients spend inside the hospital and getting them back to active lifestyles as soon as possible. To get more information on the comprehensive spine care program, visit the Eastside Neuroscience Institute website. Sponsored by Overlake Medical Center and Clinics Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.