At NY Spine Medicine we are specialists in technologically advanced, minimally invasive spine procedures. Our medical doctors are highly qualified and well respected amongst their peers. We are specialists at treating pain and spinal conditions.

Your insurance will generally cover the entire cost of your procedure and initial office visit. The standard specialist co-pay will apply. If you have any questions about your insurance, please call our office and a billing specialist will walk you through your particular insurance benefits. We are “in-network” with most major insurance plans.

Our procedures are minimally invasive; most procedures are done with very small needles and very rarely will a small incision be necessary. If an incision is required, we can use a “local” anesthetic, avoiding any complications or risks associated with a general anesthesia.

Almost all of our procedures can be done with either topical or local anesthetics. Sometimes a light sedative can be used if necessary. By using a local anesthetic, the risks of general anesthesia are avoided.

Yes. Our techniques work well for patients suffering from spinal stenosis or foraminal stenosis. NY Spine Medicine can improve impingements to the spinal or foraminal canal to free the nerve and relieve pain.

If you have had a recent MRI, you can send the report to us. One of our physicians will review it to determine which procedures may be right for you. This is a free service that we offer and any conversation is always considered confidential. To arrange for a free review of your MRI, please call our patient care representatives. They will schedule an appointment and you will meet with a physician who will thoroughly review your condition and treatment options. Your insurance will cover these appointments and they will be considered as specialist visits.

As with any other medical condition, back and neck pain is individualized and the number of procedures needed varies from person to person. Most patients have more than just one level of damage and typically not all levels of damage are causing your pain. Upon completing your initial evaluation, we will be able to determine exactly what levels are causing your symptoms. We may treat multiple problematic areas during one procedure.
Those patients who have multiple problems occurring at once may require a combination of techniques. We can do multiple procedures at the same time to reduce your recuperation time, the number of visits that you need, and the amount of time you may need to take off from work, in addition to keeping any out-of-pocket expenses to a minimum.

NY Spine Medicine is an outpatient facility. You will not need to stay overnight and most patients will be able to walk out of the office on their own shortly after the procedure is done. In many circumstances, you may be in our office for less than an hour!

Many patients return to work the same day of their procedure. However, as a general safety measure, you should not lift anything heavy for up to 6 weeks after a procedure is performed. Please consult with the doctor if your job involves any heavy lifting. If so, you may have to work with restrictions. In most cases, you can resume normal activity after 6 weeks. Giving your body this time to heal will ensure a full and optimal recovery. Physical therapy begins the very first day after your procedure.

Yes. A large percentage of our patients have had failed back surgery. NY Spine Medicine’s procedures can improve most spinal conditions. Frequently, the development of scar tissue from a previous surgery can complicate your pain. NY Spine Medicine can remove this scar tissue to alleviate any pain.

Typically there is little to no preparation for a spinal procedure. In fact, many patients choose to have a procedure done on their initial visit. Please bring all medications you are taking and any necessary medical information with you to your first appointment.

NY Spine Medicine and Dr. Schottenstein are leaders in the field of minimally invasive procedures. These sophisticated procedures take many years to learn. Dr. Schottenstein teaches other physicians these procedures. In the future, many of our procedures will become the standard of practice, but until then, you can be assured that we are one of the most sophisticated centers for these specialized, effective, and gentle techniques.

No. You will generally be able to leave by yourself, fairly soon after the procedure has been completed. If you want to bring someone with you that is fine, but in most instances, it is not necessary.

Typically, you will be able to drive soon after the procedure has been completed. You will be able to ride in a taxi or on the subway unaccompanied.

It would be preferable for you to continue your treatment with the same doctor, however, we understand that it may not be easy to travel at all times. Arrangements can be made on a per-case basis.

No. All techniques and procedures performed at NY Spine Medicine are FDA approved. As these are not experimental procedures, you can expect that office visits will be covered by your insurance.

Usually, this will not be necessary. Merely improving the anatomy around the inflamed spine is sufficient to obtain relief. Removal of a small part of the disc is performed in some cases

It is rare for a patient to not get relief from most of their pain. In some cases, it may take one patient a little longer than others to start feeling the effects of the treatment. A few of our procedures require more than one appointment. If, after following a full recovery plan, you still do not have the relief that you want to achieve, we can re-evaluate your condition. Sometimes we will need to treat another level of your spine to fully alleviate your pain. We are confident that you will notice a significant reduction in pain in a relatively small amount of time. As with all medical procedures, your recovery will also rely on you, and we are here to support you throughout your treatment.

Typically there are very few restrictions. Most people work right before having a procedure performed and can return to work that same day. There are no diet restrictions.

Although there is a slight exposure to radiation, it is a very small amount - much less than is experienced during a typical x-ray or airplane flight.

Most of our patients receive dramatic relief within three days, although some procedures will provide immediate relief.

The very best medicine is available right here in New York City. There is nothing being done at a center outside of New York that isn't being done at our clinic. We are experts in all of the same “cutting-edge” procedures that you will see advertised on the Internet. We are leaders in the field of back pain. Occasionally there are complex cases that we can’t handle in our outpatient facility. In these rare instances, we will refer you to top doctors in the country at the most prestigious facilities.

If your insurance doesn't cover the procedure, the procedure is not FDA approved. If they tell you, for example, that a procedure will cost $30,000 in cash, we ask that you come see us for a consultation first. We are one of the leading outpatient facilities in the treatment of back pain. Dr. Schottenstein regularly teaches courses to other doctors from across the country on treating conditions that cause pain and we can let you know if you should be wary of spending a lot of out-of-pocket money at another facility.

The general rule is that if your pain hasn’t improved with rest and ice for three days, it is time to consult with a medical doctor.

However, if you have any of the following conditions see a doctor immediately. It could be the signal of a more serious problem.

• Constant or intense pain (especially when you lie down at night)
• Pain that spreads down one or both of your legs, especially if it extends below the knee
• Weakness, numbness or tingling in one or both of your legs
• Bowel or bladder problems
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fever
• Pain in your abdomen
• You had a fall or accident or impact to your back
• Also, see your doctor if you start having back pain for the first time after age 50, or if you have a history of cancer, osteoporosis, steroid use, or drug or alcohol abuse.

Alternate forms of treatment have a time and a place and all can be helpful. As a general rule, if you have been suffering with the same pain for three weeks after any treatment, you should consult another physician or try another procedure. Don’t live your life in pain: get another opinion. We have an entire tool box of medically-proven, non-surgical procedures that deliver near instantaneous results and can last from six months to many, many years.

We believe in holistic medicine and will do everything in our power to help you avoid surgery. Sometimes just learning exercises through physical therapy will help you to manage your pain without drugs. However, we also believe that sometimes it’s better to inject a small amount of a drug directly into the place that is causing the pain. We believe this method is better for you, as your body systems don’t “digest” the drug, and it is impossible to have any addictive side effects of a drug when it is injected. If you are unable to live a normal life after about three weeks of your injury, it is time to try a different direction in your treatment. We can guide you through many options including pharmacologic or drug-free therapies.

If you are seeing a practitioner and your results only last for a day or so after the treatment, its time to try something else.

Pain medicine doctors are typically utilized to treat chronic pain. People suffering from ongoing pain due to a health condition – pain that isn’t being treated or adequately managed – should speak with their primary care doctor, who may make a referral to a pain medicine specialist. 

In general, pain medicine uses medication, injections, therapy, and surgery, with the intention of treating the underlying cause of the pain. Palliative care generally uses medications to manage symptoms, without the intention of treating the cause of pain.

From yogis and acupuncturists to neurologists, physical therapists, and chiropractors, practitioners from a variety of backgrounds call themselves “pain-medicine specialists.” The reason there are many types of pain management specialists is because no one type is particularly great at treating chronic pain by itself. Pain management requires a multi-pronged approach, which is why it’s a multi-disciplinary field.