Spinal treatment
with Dr Beate Helgers
Your experts in back pain and spinal problems
The spine is the central supporting structure of our body and plays a key role in our mobility and well-being. Pain and discomfort in this area can have a significant impact on our daily lives, our work and our social lives.
Spinal problems or pain in the spine are often signs of:
- herniated discs and degenerative changes (signs of wear and tear caused by strain)
- Spinal canal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
- Spinal claudication (pain and numbness when walking)
- Blockages of the sacroiliac joints (SIJ) and other functional disorders
- Lumbago (acute back pain with significantly painful restrictions on movement)
- Scoliosis (twisting and curvature)
- Poor posture and misalignment caused by our daily habits
Holistic treatment approach
At Dr Beate Helgers’ private orthopaedic practices, we specialise in the treatment of spinal conditions. Drawing on our extensive expertise and innovative therapies, we offer our patients personalised and holistic solutions that not only alleviate their symptoms but also specifically address the root causes of their conditions.
Our area of specialism:
the treatment of spinal conditions
Dr Beate Helgers has extensive training and decades of experience in the treatment of spinal conditions. She gained this expertise, amongst other places, at the University Hospital St Josef-Hospital in Bochum under the supervision of Prof. Dr Jürgen Krämer, a pioneer in spinal orthopaedics.
How do we proceed?
Our practice offers you a comprehensive range of diagnostic and treatment options specifically tailored to spinal conditions.
Following a thorough physical examination and comprehensive diagnostic tests, we will work with you to develop a personalised treatment plan that is tailored to your symptoms and your circumstances.
As part of our holistic approach, we offer a range of treatment options, such as:
- Spinal injections
- Periradicular therapy (PRT)
- Epidural injections and sacral blocks
- Thermodenervation
- Acupuncture
- Laser treatment (high-energy)
- Andullation bed/vibration bed with infrared treatment
- Magnetic field therapy
- Hydrojet/water jet massage
- Complex therapy: neuromuscular electrostimulation
- Neurostimulation / SIS
- Functional rehabilitation through movement
- Radial shockwave
Focused shockwave (ESTW)
Spinal injections –
Rapid relief at the source of the pain
Injection therapies administered close to the spine are a key component of the spinal treatment we offer at our practice. These minimally invasive procedures enable us to treat the exact site of the pain and thus achieve rapid and effective relief. Dr Helgers has been successfully using these techniques for many years to relieve patients of their symptoms – often before surgery becomes necessary.
The benefits of spinal injections
- Targeted treatment of the cause of pain at the site of origin
- Rapid pain relief, often without the need for long-term pain medication
- Avoiding or postponing disc or spinal surgery
Injections for
herniated discs and degenerative conditions
In cases of herniated discs or degenerative changes (signs of wear and tear), we can use targeted injections to reduce swelling and inflammation and relieve pressure on the nerve structures. These treatments are particularly effective as they target the source of the pain directly and often make the use of painkillers unnecessary.
We use this to treat conditions such as:
- Facet joints (small vertebral joints): Relieve pain caused by degenerative changes.
- Sacroiliac joints (SI joints): Particularly effective for blockages in the lower back and pelvic area.
- Paravertebral injections: Treatment of nerve structures without directly interfering with the nerve pathways.
Periradicular therapy (PRT) –
When do we use it and how does it work?
Periradicular therapy (PRT) is an injection treatment used specifically for herniated discs or nerve irritation. It involves injecting a medication (usually a cortisone preparation) directly into the area surrounding the irritated nerve root. This relieves pressure on the nerve, reduces inflammation and thus alleviates the pain. PRT is particularly effective for pain radiating into the legs or arms when caused by a herniated disc or spinalstenosis.
Why choose PRT at Dr Beate Helgers’ practices?
Whilst these injections are now often carried out by radiologists under X-ray guidance, we have decades of experience with this method in our practice. Thanks to our precise injection techniques, which we perform either manually or under ultrasound guidance, we are able to offer patients a radiation-free yet equally effective alternative.
Epidural injections and sacral blocks –
when do we use them and how do they work?
In cases of severe spinal problems such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis or chronic pain, epidural injections and sacral blocks can often provide rapid and effective relief. These injections aim to reduce inflammation around the nerves, thereby tackling pain directly at its source.
Epidural-perineural injections using Prof. Dr Krämer’s technique offer an even more targeted effect for persistent back pain.
Sacral blocks are particularly helpful for pain in the lower back and pelvic area that radiates into the legs.
These procedures are not only particularly effective, but also quick and gentle – most patients can go home immediately after treatment.
Thermodenervation –
for long-term pain relief
in cases of chronic pain
For patients suffering from chronic spinal pain, we offer innovative procedures such as thermodenervation, also known as radiofrequency thermocoagulation. This technique aims to ablate or freeze the nerve endings of the small nerves in the facet joints, which are responsible for transmitting pain, thereby blocking the pain for an extended period.
This method is particularly useful when the pain originates from the small vertebral joints and other treatments have not produced the desired effect. Thermodenervation can relieve pain for 1–3 years without the need for surgery. The procedure is minimally invasive and has virtually no side effects.
The benefits of thermodenervation:
- Long-term pain relief lasting up to 1–3 years
- A treatment with few side effects that does not require major surgery
- Prolonged effect of previous injections
- A gentle, radiation-free alternative to injections performed under X-ray fluoroscopy or CT-guided injections
- Long-term postponement of surgical procedures
These procedures are an excellent way of providing patients with chronic back pain with long-lasting pain relief without the need for major surgery.
Dr Beate Helgers’ holistic treatment
approach
Injection therapy for the spine is just one part of our holistic approach. We often combine different therapeutic approaches to enhance and prolong the success of treatment. These include, for example, trigger point injections for muscle tension or nerve blocks, which are used specifically to treat chronic pain conditions.
Furthermore, we can provide long-term support for the treatment’s success through targeted exercise therapy. Together with you, we’ll develop a personalised treatment plan that’s optimally tailored to your symptoms and your lifestyle.
At Dr Beate Helgers’ practice, your health is our priority. With our specialisation in spinal conditions and our wide range of gentle yet effective treatments, we help you to live a pain-free and active life once again.
Drawing on our decades of experience and state-of-the-art treatment methods, we offer you expert and personalised care that provides long-term relief from your symptoms.
We’re here to look after
your spine
Contact
How can we help you?
Book an appointment now and let’s work together to find the best solution for your back problems!
Questions and Answers on Spinal Treatment
FAQs
When should I see a specialist about my back pain?
If your back pain lasts for more than a few days, gets worse with movement or exertion, or persists even at rest, you should see a specialist. This is particularly important if:
- The pain radiates into your legs or arms
- You experience tingling or numbness
- you have restricted movement or your back feels stiff
- You find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning or are woken up by the pain at night
- The symptoms have started following an injury We can help to pinpoint the exact cause of your symptoms and initiate targeted treatment to relieve the pain and prevent it from getting worse.
What could be causing my back pain?
Back pain can have many causes, ranging from muscle tension to serious structural problems such as a herniated disc, degenerative changes in the spine or spinalstenosis. Functional changes, such as blockages in the small vertebral joints (facet joints) or the sacroiliac joint (SI joint), can also cause pain. We carry out a thorough examination and, if necessary, imaging or further diagnostic tests to determine exactly what is causing your symptoms.
Will I need to take time off work following an injection or other spinal treatment?
In most cases, following spinal injection therapy, you can go straight home or your mobility will only be restricted for a short time. Depending on the type of injection, we recommend that you take it easy for a few hours up to a day, but you can often resume your usual activities as early as the following day. Thermodenervation or other minimally invasive procedures also do not require a long recovery period.
How often can injections be administered into the spine?
That depends on the nature and severity of your symptoms. As a rule, a course of injections can be carried out several times a year to achieve long-term pain relief. For acute pain, a single injection or a short course of 2–5 injection treatments is often sufficient. In the long term, combining this with exercise therapy or other conservative measures can help to prolong the benefits of the injections and minimise the number of injections required.
Can spinal treatment also be an alternative to surgery?
In most cases, yes. Thanks to our targeted and effective injection therapies and complementary treatments, we can often avoid surgery or at least delay it. Particularly in casesofherniated discs, spinal stenosis or degenerative changes in the small vertebral joints, we frequently achieve very good results with our non-surgical methods. Surgery is often only necessary once other treatment options have been exhausted.