Neck and back pain care in Meridian, Mississippi

Neck and back pain are among the most common reasons people see a doctor. Most episodes come from strained muscles, irritated joints, or wear-related changes in the discs, and most get better on their own or with simple treatment within a few weeks.

I am Edward Smith, M.D., a fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine surgeon at Meridian Orthopaedic Specialists. I see patients in Meridian, from across east Mississippi and west Alabama, whose neck or back pain is not settling down, keeps coming back, or comes with arm or leg symptoms. Seeing a spine surgeon does not mean you need surgery: many patients with neck and back pain never need an operation.

Common causes

  • Muscle or ligament strain
  • Degenerative disc disease and arthritis of the spine (spondylosis)
  • Facet joint irritation
  • Herniated discs that pinch a nerve, causing arm pain or sciatica
  • Spinal stenosis, or narrowing around the nerves
  • Less often, fractures, infection, tumors, or deformity

When to get checked

Consider an evaluation if:

  • Pain lasts more than a few weeks or keeps getting worse
  • Pain wakes you at night or limits work, sleep, or walking
  • Pain spreads into an arm or leg, or you notice numbness, tingling, or weakness
  • Pain started after a fall, car accident, or other injury
  • You have a history of cancer, unexplained weight loss, fever, or osteoporosis

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away if you have new loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the groin or inner thighs, or sudden severe weakness in your arms or legs.

How I approach neck and back pain

  1. History and exam: where the pain is, what makes it better or worse, and how your strength, sensation, and reflexes look
  2. Imaging when useful: X-rays are available in our office; MRI is ordered when the result is likely to change the plan, not by default
  3. A stepwise plan: usually starting with the simplest treatment that is likely to help

Non-surgical care is the first step for most people:

  • Activity guidance and a steady return to movement
  • Physical therapy through our practice
  • Medications for pain and inflammation when appropriate
  • Pain management and spine injections through our team when pain is severe or lingering

Surgery is considered only when pain has a clear structural cause that matches your symptoms and has not improved with a fair trial of conservative care, or when a nerve or the spinal cord is under pressure. When surgery is appropriate, that can include minimally invasive and endoscopic options when they fit. They may not be right for every patient or every diagnosis. Many procedures can be done as outpatient surgery at our ambulatory surgery center.

The aim is an accurate diagnosis and a plan that fits your symptoms and goals.

Care close to home

Neck and back pain evaluation, X-rays, therapy, injections, and surgery when needed are available through Meridian Orthopaedic Specialists. Call 601.385.9111.

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