Whether your neck or back pain is caused by an injury or a medical condition, our team of specially trained physicians and therapists can help you find the most effective treatment. Our goal is to help you maximize your daily activities while minimizing pain. The sooner you seek help for back pain, the more we can do to prevent it from becoming chronic.

Back and Neck Pain Treatment: Why Choose Johns Hopkins

• The Johns Hopkins Rehabilitation Network has several convenient locations in the Baltimore metro area that offer back and neck pain rehabilitation.
• Our team includes experts in physical medicine, rehabilitation psychology, physical therapy and other fields who can help you address both physical and emotional aspects of your back pain.
• Many of our therapists are board certified and fellowship trained in spine care and specific therapies such as dry needling, aquatic therapy and tissue mobilization.
• We offer treatments for a variety of spine conditions, including presurgery and postsurgery care.

Back and Neck Conditions We Treat

Our rehabilitation specialists treat lower back pain, mid-back pain and neck pain stemming from these and other conditions:

• Arthritis of the back and neck
• Automobile injuries/whiplash
• Degenerative disc disease
• Herniated disc
• Myelopathy
• Pinched nerves (radiculopathy) and sciatica
• Spinal stenosis
• Compression fractures
• Scoliosis and kyphosis
• Strained muscles and tendons
• Spondylolisthesis and spondylolysis
• Trauma and sports-related injuries

Our Team Approach to Back and Neck Pain Treatment

Our team consists of several back, neck and spine experts. Each of them plays an important role in addressing all aspects of your condition:

• Rehabilitation physicians assess your pain, review your medical history and work with you to develop a treatment plan. They may address short-term pain management with medications or injections, as well as help you set and achieve long-term goals, such as returning to the activities you enjoy.
• Physical therapists may use various techniques to help you with mobility and function:
  • Dry needling uses thin needles inserted into specific muscles to release muscle tension and spasms.
  • Soft tissue and joint mobilization involves physically moving and stretching your muscles, tendons and joints with the help of special tools.
  • Laser therapy uses light that penetrates deep into the skin and promotes healing.
  • Aquatic therapy uses water to build strength and flexibility while reducing the pressure of gravity.
  • Negative pressure (vacuum) massage works by applying negative pressure to certain areas of the body to activate the lymphatic system, which helps move metabolic waste.
  • Shockwave therapy delivers physical/mechanical pulses that travel through the tissue and help break down scar tissue and promote healing.
• Occupational therapists focus on activities of daily living and how you can reduce or avoid pain as you drive, get dressed, shower or work.
• Rehabilitation psychologists can help you address pain-related anxiety and frustration, as well as help implement mindset and behavioral changes to better manage your pain.

Our team works closely with Johns Hopkins orthopaedic spine surgeons, whether you may need a referral for surgery or require rehabilitation after a spine procedure. We also coordinate care with your primary care provider, as well as Johns Hopkins dietitians, rheumatologists and other specialists who can lend their expertise in diagnosis or treatment of your condition.