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Your guide to spinal conditions and treatment
Our spine is made up of 33 individual bones that protect our spinal cord. Back pain most commonly occurs as a result of mechanical or structural problems in or around the spine. This can be anything from a common ligament sprain brought on by heavy lifting, to complex spinal injuries. At HCA UK, we treat the full range of trauma-based, congenital and degenerative spinal conditions in both adults and children.
Meet our experts
You’ll find our spine consultants located right across our leading London hospitals: London Bridge Hospital, The Wellington Hospital in north London, The Princess Grace Hospital in central London, The Lister Hospital in Chelsea, The Harley Street Clinic and The Portland Hospital for Children, just south of Regent’s Park. And our specialist spinal and orthopaedic network also extends to the West Midlands, at The Harborne Hospital.
Common spinal conditions
Scoliosis
We treat the curvature of the spine in both adults and children. At The Portland Hospital, we also have a dedicated children’s scoliosis unit where we offer surgical and non-surgical treatments.
Prolapsed discs
We offer a range of disc-related treatments (for bulging, herniated, slipped and prolapsed discs) with the aim of alleviating your lower back pain and greatly improving your everyday quality of life.
Sciatica
We offer spinal injections, including caudal epidurals, an injection at the base of the spine to help manage and relieve symptoms caused by the sciatic nerve.
Spinal tumours
With the help of state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, our specialists can remove tumours ensuring minimal impact to the spine or spinal cord.
Spinal stenosis
We offer many treatment options to treat spinal stenosis. Our surgeons also use state-of-the-art technique to fuse parts of the spine together to strengthen it after surgery.
Common spinal treatments
Lumbar decompression
Surgery to the lower spine. We have the technology and expertise to carry out surgery on your lower spine using minimally invasive surgery.
Caudal epidural
Steroid injection in near the caudal part of the spine (base/tail). A caudal epidural can help relieve the pain, tingling or numbness caused by sciatica, the irritation of the sciatic nerve.
Facet joint injection
A steroid injection to the facet joint, used to diagnose or manage pain in your lower back.
Minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS)
An alternative surgical procedure to open spinal surgery that targets conditions within the spine through the use of keyhole surgery.
Cervical disc replacement
Disc replacement surgery for the neck area of the spine. Cervical discs that become damaged can cause you considerable pain, numbness and weakness that radiates into your arms.
Patient experiences
Getting back to normal after spinal surgery: Ruth’s story
When consultant spinal surgeon Mr Robert Lee first glanced at the MRI scan of retired music teacher Ruth’s lumbar spine, he did a double take.
Rhiannon’s courage: Recovering after scoliosis surgery
Rhiannon was an active 14-year-old girl. When she occasionally complained to her parents about aches and pains in her back, there was no reason to think it was anything more sinister than sore muscles from one of her dance classes, or something she’d pulled while horse riding.
Jack's Spinal Scoliosis story
Jack’s mother Jaime noticed his shoulder blades were slightly uneven in March 2020, at the start of the UK COVID-19 lockdown. After being faced with a long wait for a referral, a chance recommendation led Jaime to turn to The Portland Hospital. Here Jaime shares their story and explain why this surgery was so important.
Leading consultants and facilities
Rest assured, we have all the services in place to provide complex care, from intensive care units and dedicated ICU nursing staff to leading consultants. Our spine consultants are specialists in their field, with access to state-of-the-art facilities to deliver exceptional care for you. This includes advanced imaging equipment, from a low-dose X-ray scanner for children, to weight-bearing CT scanners, and robotically assisted surgical technology (ExcelsiusGPS® Robotic Navigation System).
Paying for your treatment
We see patients who are self-funding their treatment as well as those with medical insurance policies. We work with all the major private insurers, for example Bupa, AXA and many more. If you’re paying for your own treatment and are considering spinal treatments, we offer a guide.
Book your appointment
To book your HCA UK appointment with one of our spinal experts, you can call or book online using our consultant finder. Remember to have your referral letter to hand. If you have private medical insurance, you’ll also need your membership number and authorisation code. We’ll confirm your appointment on the phone or online. If you have any special requests we’ll get back to you, either by phone or email within 24 hours.