Back and neck pain sufferers shouldn't have to travel all over town to see various doctors. PacificaSpine, main office located in Ventura California and satellite office in Thousand Oaks, recognizes the national trend in spine care is to take a spine center approach, with a multidisciplinary team of spine specialists working together under one roof, emphasizing nonsurgical options.
PacificaSpine is a regional spine center geared specifically to improving the care for back and neck patients. PacificaSpine provides relief to back pain and neck pain sufferers from across the Ventura County area including Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Ventura, Camarillo, Ojai and Santa Barbara.
PacificaSpine includes the expertise of Dr. Mark Simonson, a non-surgical spine specialist who is board-certified in both physical medicine and pain medicine. Through the integrated, specialized approach at PacificaSpine, Dr. Simonson is able to care for any type of back or neck problem, from the simple back or neck strain all the way to the most complex spine surgery. PacificaSpine involves a consulting spine surgeon, Dr. John Regan, who is proficient in the latest minimally invasive surgical techniques. Because PacificaSpine has X-ray and injection therapy under one roof, the back or neck pain patient no longer has to drive around town for care. All the necessary diagnostic testing and non-operative treatment under one roof eliminates the need for multiple referrals, delayed care and confusion.
This spine center is by no means complete. Rather, PacificaSpine is a work in progress, where we hope to continue to improve spine care over the next 5 years for the benefit of those in the Ventura County area.
A nonsurgical approach to back and neck pain
What makes our spine center unique is its emphasis
on a nonsurgical approach to back and neck problems. PacificaSpine
has specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation, also called
physiatrists. These physicians have advanced training in back and neck
pain and are successful in helping people return to activity—without
surgery
However, if your back or neck problem requires surgery,
PacificaSpine has a consulting spine surgeon who already treats the area's most
complex surgical cases. These cases include herniated discs, spinal
fractures, spinal deformity, spinal tumor and scoliosis. Dr. John Regan, consulting spine surgeon at PacificaSpine is world reknown in the most advanced instrumentation and spine surgery
techniques.
Pain relief through a focus on function
Pain is a signal from the body to the brain that
something is wrong. Either the back is too weak, too inflexible, something
lifted was too heavy or the wrong body mechanics were used. And, unfortunately,
those doctors who focus exclusively on pain symptoms often recommend
a course of treatment that is the exact opposite of what the individual
needs to recover from the back problem.
Years ago, for example, doctors treated back pain with
bed rest and heavy drugs to mask the discomfort. It was found, however,
that this type of treatment was actually damaging to the back, because
it caused muscles in the back to get weaker, in turn, causing more
strain and pain. Patients became more dependent on drugs and grew more
inactive and disabled.
In fact, pain relief actually can come through movement.
Low-impact sports like walking and swimming are the best way to make
the back feel better and stronger.
Mira Simonson is the Director of Physical Therapy and Conditioning at PacificaSpine. She is trained to know how
hard a patient can push themselves. In many cases, spine therapists are able to relieve pain with
specialized therapy techniques, tissue and joint mobilization and special
exercises that can relieve pain symptoms. Working with a therapist may also be necessary for a
recovery from back or neck pain.
About us | Physician
biographies | Physical
Therapist biographies | Appointments | Choosing
a physician | Contact
us | Symptoms | Conditions | Scoliosis | Kyphosis | Herniated
disc | Degenerative
disc | Spinal tumors | Bone
spur | Stenosis | Spondylolysis | Back
strain | Neck strain | Center
of excellence | Anatomy
library | Treatment | Nonsurgical
options | Therapy | PMR | Surgery | Minimally
invasive surgery | Artificial
disc | Home remedies | Prevention | How
to lift | Exercise
library | Neck exercise | Back
exercise | Strengthening
exercise | For physicians | For
case managers | Privacy Notice | Home
|
