What is artificial disc replacement surgery?

Artificial disc replacement (ADR) replaces a damaged cervical or lumbar disc with an artificial implant, preserving natural spinal motion unlike fusion surgery.

Who is a good candidate for disc replacement in New York?

Patients with degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, or chronic neck/back pain unresponsive to conservative treatment. Dr. Brusovanik evaluates each patient individually.

What is the recovery time after disc replacement surgery?

Most patients walk the same day and return to light activity in 2-4 weeks. Full recovery takes 3-6 months with post-operative physical therapy.

Does Dr. Brusovanik perform both cervical and lumbar disc replacement?

Yes, Dr. Georgiy Brusovanik, MD performs both cervical and lumbar artificial disc replacement at Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in NYC and Long Island.

What type of doctor treats shoulder pain?

An orthopedic shoulder specialist treats conditions affecting the rotator cuff, labrum, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and shoulder joint. Persistent pain, weakness, stiffness, clicking, or instability should be evaluated to determine the precise cause.

What are the most common causes of shoulder pain?

The most common causes of shoulder pain include rotator cuff tears, tendinitis, impingement, bursitis, frozen shoulder, arthritis, labral tears, instability, fractures, and biceps tendon injuries. A focused examination helps identify which structure is causing the symptoms.

How can I tell if I have a rotator cuff tear?

Common rotator cuff tear symptoms include shoulder weakness, night pain, difficulty lifting the arm, and pain with overhead movement. An orthopedic shoulder specialist may use an examination, X-rays, ultrasound, or MRI to confirm the diagnosis.

Why does shoulder pain become worse at night?

Shoulder pain may worsen at night because sleeping positions place pressure on inflamed tendons, bursae, or arthritic joints. Rotator cuff injuries, bursitis, frozen shoulder, and shoulder arthritis commonly cause nighttime pain that disrupts sleep.

When should I see a shoulder specialist?

See a shoulder specialist when pain lasts several weeks, repeatedly returns, affects sleep, or limits lifting and movement. Sudden weakness, visible deformity, severe pain, or a shoulder that feels dislocated requires prompt medical evaluation.

Does a rotator cuff tear always require surgery?

A rotator cuff tear does not always require surgery. Physical therapy, medication, activity modification, and injections may improve pain and function, while surgery may be recommended for traumatic tears, significant weakness, or symptoms that continue despite treatment.

When is shoulder arthroscopy recommended?

Shoulder arthroscopy may be recommended when a confirmed structural injury continues causing pain, weakness, or instability despite nonsurgical care. It can treat rotator cuff tears, labral injuries, impingement, biceps problems, and damaged tissue within the shoulder.

What is the difference between total and reverse shoulder replacement?

Total shoulder replacement recreates the natural ball-and-socket joint and typically requires a functional rotator cuff. Reverse shoulder replacement changes the joint mechanics and may be used for irreparable cuff tears, severe arthritis, complex fractures, or failed previous surgery.

How long does recovery take after shoulder surgery?

Shoulder surgery recovery depends on the procedure, injury severity, tissue quality, age, and rehabilitation plan. Some patients regain useful movement within weeks, while rotator cuff repair, reconstruction, or shoulder replacement recovery may continue for several months.

Can a failed shoulder surgery be corrected?

Some failed shoulder surgeries can be treated with revision surgery, reconstruction, tendon repair, or shoulder replacement. The appropriate treatment depends on the previous procedure, current imaging, tissue quality, bone loss, stiffness, instability, and remaining shoulder function.

Where can I find a shoulder specialist in New York or New Jersey?

Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine provides specialized shoulder care across New York, Long Island, and New Jersey. Services include diagnosis, physical therapy, image-guided treatment, shoulder arthroscopy, rotator cuff repair, reconstruction, and shoulder replacement.

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Neck, Back & Spine Specialists in New York & New Jersey

Neck and back pain can interfere with movement, sleep, work, and quality of life. Our orthopedic spine specialists in New York and New Jersey evaluate herniated discs, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, sciatica, scoliosis, and vertebral compression fractures. Treatment may include physical therapy, medication, pain-management procedures, image-guided injections, or spine surgery when clinically appropriate.

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Meet our neck, back & spine specialists

Connect with experienced specialists who diagnose and treat neck and back pain, sciatica, disc problems, spinal injuries, and other conditions affecting the spine.

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Understanding Neck, Back and Spine Anatomy

The spine forms the body’s central support system. It carries the weight of the head and torso, enables bending and rotation, protects the spinal cord, and allows nerve signals to travel between the brain and the rest of the body.

The cervical spine supports the neck, the thoracic spine anchors the rib cage, and the lumbar spine carries much of the upper body’s load. Intervertebral discs provide cushioning, facet joints guide movement, and surrounding muscles and ligaments help maintain stability.

Neck or back pain can arise from strained muscles, injured discs, arthritic joints, narrowed nerve passages, or damaged vertebrae. Herniated discs, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and compression fractures may cause stiffness, radiating pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, or reduced mobility. Identifying the affected structure helps guide treatment.

Healthy spine function depends on:

Effective neck and back pain treatment begins with determining whether symptoms originate from muscles, discs, joints, bones, or nerves.

Where Neck and Back Pain Begins: Discs, Joints and Nerves

Neck and back symptoms may originate in the muscles, spinal discs, facet joints, vertebrae, or nerve roots. Pain patterns and neurological symptoms help guide an accurate diagnosis.

Acute Injury & Disc Damage

Falls, collisions, or forceful lifting can strain spinal muscles, injure a disc, or fracture a vertebra. A herniated disc may compress a nearby nerve, causing pain that travels into an arm or leg. New weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or groin numbness requires emergency evaluation.

Spinal Wear & Nerve Pressure

Degenerative disc disease and facet arthritis can cause stiffness and persistent neck or back pain. Spinal stenosis may reduce space around the spinal cord or nerve roots, contributing to numbness, tingling, weakness, or radiating pain. Symptoms may worsen with certain positions, walking, or prolonged activity.

Finding the Cause of Your Neck and Back Pain

Where symptoms occur, how they started, and whether they travel into an arm or leg help guide the diagnosis. A complete spine evaluation also considers posture, movement, strength, sensation, and reflexes.

Pain and Nerves

Neck or back pain may remain localized or travel along an irritated nerve into an arm or leg. Numbness, tingling, weakness, or balance changes provide additional diagnostic clues. Symptoms triggered by bending, lifting, sitting, standing, or walking can help identify disc problems, spinal stenosis, muscle injuries, and other spinal conditions.

Spine Examination

Your orthopedic spine specialist evaluates posture, walking, spinal movement, tenderness, muscle strength, sensation, and reflexes. Specific maneuvers may reproduce radiating symptoms or reveal nerve irritation. These findings help determine whether pain originates from muscles, discs, joints, nerve roots, the spinal cord, or a nearby structure.

Diagnostic Imaging

X-rays can reveal fractures, arthritis, alignment changes, or abnormal spinal curvature. MRI provides detailed images of discs, nerves, ligaments, the spinal cord, and surrounding soft tissues. CT offers clearer bone detail and may be recommended when MRI is unsuitable. Imaging is selected according to symptoms, examination findings, and clinical need.

Total Ortho creates personalized neck, back, and spine treatment plans based on your diagnosis, symptoms, activity level, and recovery goals.

Physical therapy may improve flexibility, core strength, posture, and movement mechanics while reducing stress on painful muscles, spinal discs, and joints.

Image-guided epidural injections may reduce inflammation around irritated nerve roots. Facet injections or medial branch blocks can help identify or manage pain arising from spinal joints.

For selected patients, discectomy or laminectomy can relieve nerve pressure caused by a herniated disc or spinal stenosis when nonsurgical treatments have not provided sufficient relief.

Spinal fusion may be recommended for instability, deformity, or certain degenerative conditions. In appropriately selected patients, artificial disc replacement may treat a damaged disc while preserving motion.

Neck, Back & Spine Conditions We Treat

Total Ortho evaluates conditions affecting the spinal discs, joints, nerves, muscles, and vertebrae. An accurate diagnosis helps guide treatment for neck pain, back pain, sciatica, reduced mobility, and neurological symptoms.

Herniated Discs & Radiculopathy

A herniated disc occurs when displaced disc material irritates or compresses a nearby nerve root. In the neck, cervical radiculopathy may cause symptoms extending into the shoulder or arm. In the lower back, lumbar radiculopathy can produce sciatica through the buttock and leg.

Spinal Stenosis & Nerve Compression

Spinal stenosis narrows the canal or openings through which nerves travel. Lumbar stenosis may cause leg pain, numbness, or heaviness while standing and walking. Cervical stenosis can compress the spinal cord, potentially affecting hand coordination, strength, or balance.

Degenerative Discs & Facet Arthritis

Spinal discs may gradually lose hydration, height, and flexibility with age. These changes can increase stress on the facet joints and contribute to stiffness or localized neck and back pain. Because degeneration does not always cause symptoms, imaging must be considered alongside the examination.

Scoliosis & Spondylolisthesis

Scoliosis causes an abnormal three-dimensional curvature of the spine. Spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebra shifts relative to another. Either condition may alter spinal alignment, strain surrounding tissues, or reduce the space available for nearby nerves.

Why Patients Choose Total Orthopedics for Neck, Back & Spine Care

Total Orthopedics brings together orthopedic spine specialists, pain-management physicians, diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation, and surgical care. Every treatment plan is based on the cause of your symptoms, neurological findings, spinal condition, activity level, and recovery goals.

Complete Spine Care

Specialists evaluate neck pain, back pain, sciatica, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and related conditions.
Examinations assess spinal movement, posture, walking, muscle strength, sensation, reflexes, and nerve function.
X-rays, MRI, or CT scans are recommended when the results may guide diagnosis or treatment.
Nonsurgical care may include medication, physical therapy, activity modification, or image-guided injections.
Targeted procedures may address inflamed nerve roots, painful facet joints, or other identified pain sources.
Surgical options may include discectomy, decompression, artificial disc replacement, or spinal fusion.
Rehabilitation helps restore mobility, strength, body mechanics, and confidence during recovery.
Total Orthopedics provides neck, back, and spine care across New York and New Jersey.

When Spine Surgery May Be Considered

Spine surgery may be considered when an identifiable condition causes persistent pain, neurological symptoms, or significant functional limitations despite appropriate nonsurgical treatment. Earlier intervention may be necessary when spinal cord or nerve function is at risk.

Symptoms, examination findings, and imaging identify a condition that surgery can reasonably address.
Physical therapy, medication, activity changes, or injections have not provided sufficient improvement.
Nerve compression, spinal instability, deformity, or structural damage is affecting function or quality of life.
Other possible causes of neck, back, arm, or leg symptoms have been appropriately evaluated.
Overall health, expected benefits, potential risks, recovery needs, and personal goals support treatment.

Neck, Back & Spine FAQ

Neck, Back, and Spine Injury and Treatment FAQs

Total Orthopedics treats herniated discs, sciatica, spinal stenosis, arthritis, scoliosis, fractures, and other causes of neck and back pain.

When should I see a neck or back pain specialist?

Schedule an evaluation when pain persists, repeatedly returns, disrupts sleep, or limits work and daily activities. Pain extending into an arm or leg, numbness, tingling, weakness, balance problems, or reduced hand coordination should be evaluated promptly.

Why does spine pain sometimes travel into an arm or leg?

Spinal nerve irritation can produce symptoms away from the neck or back. Cervical radiculopathy may affect the shoulder, arm, or hand. Lumbar radiculopathy can cause sciatica extending through the buttock, leg, or foot.

How are neck and back conditions diagnosed?

Diagnosis begins with a review of your symptoms, medical history, and activities. The examination may assess posture, walking, spinal movement, muscle strength, sensation, and reflexes. Imaging is recommended when it can help confirm the diagnosis or guide treatment.

Is an MRI always necessary for neck or back pain?

No. Many new episodes improve without advanced imaging. MRI may be recommended for persistent symptoms, neurological changes, suspected nerve or spinal cord compression, or when injections or spine surgery are being considered.

What nonsurgical spine treatments are available?

Treatment may include activity modification, medication, physical therapy, therapeutic exercise, movement training, or image-guided injections. The plan depends on the diagnosed condition, symptom severity, neurological findings, general health, and recovery goals.

What do spinal injections treat?

Epidural steroid injections may reduce inflammation around an irritated nerve root. Facet injections or medial branch blocks may help evaluate or temporarily manage pain associated with the spinal joints. Results vary, and injections do not correct every structural condition.

When may spine surgery be recommended?

Surgery may be considered when a clearly identified condition causes persistent pain, progressive neurological symptoms, or significant functional limitations despite appropriate nonsurgical treatment. Certain fractures, spinal instability, or spinal cord compression may require earlier intervention.

What types of spine surgery are available?

Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may include discectomy, laminectomy, nerve decompression, artificial disc replacement, fracture stabilization, deformity correction, or spinal fusion. The procedure is selected according to the affected spinal level, structural problem, and treatment goals.

Which neck or back symptoms require emergency care?

Seek immediate care for new loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin or inner thighs, rapidly worsening weakness, difficulty walking after sudden neurological changes, or severe neck or back pain following major trauma.

Where does Total Orthopedics provide spine care?

Total Orthopedics provides neck, back, and spine evaluations across New York and New Jersey. Available care may include orthopedic spine consultations, pain management, diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation, injections, and surgical evaluation.