This year’s list includes all three of our co-directors:

Dr. Roger Härtl (Neurosurgeon, on the list since 2008; New York Magazine Top Doctors since 2012)
Dr. Neel Mehta (Pain Management, on the list since 2018)
Dr. Jaspal Ricky Singh (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, on the list since 2016)

Two additional surgeons:
Dr. Dan Riew (orthopedic surgeon, on the list since 2000; New York Magazine Top Doctors since 2020)
Dr. Robert B. Snow (neurosurgeon, on the list since 1999; Top Doctors New York Metro Area since 2004)

Dr. Vandana Sood (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, on the list since 2021)
Dr. Jennifer Soo-Hoo (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, on the list since 2021)

Congratulations to all our Top Doctors in spine care!
See profiles of our experts here

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“I am honored to become an Active member of the Academy,” said Dr. Härtl, the Hansen-MacDonald Professor of Neurological Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine and Neurosurgical Director of Spinal Surgery at Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “I look forward to participating in the mission of fostering innovation and discovery to improve patient care.”

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The 2023 list of America’s Top Doctors features these faculty members of Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian at the Weill Cornell Medicine Center for Comprehensive Spine Care:

*Dr. Roger Härtl (since 2008; New York Magazine Top Doctors since 2012)

*Dr. John Park (since 2022; the ONLY neurosurgeon in Queens to be named to the list; Top AAPI Doctors 2023)

*Dr. Dan Riew (since 2000; New York Magazine Top Doctors since 2020)

*Dr. Robert B. Snow (since 1999; Top Doctors New York Metro Area since 2004)

*Dr. Eric H. Elowitz (named to the list every year since 2014; now retired)

Best Doctors for Back Pain

This year’s list of New York magazine’s Top Doctors for back pain include the Spine Center’s Dr. Neel Mehta and Dr. Lisa Witkin, as well as Dr. Jaspal Ricky Singh, a triple-board certified physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation, sports medicine, and pain medicine. See our entire roster of back pain specialists.

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Find out more about Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian | Find out more about Weill Cornell Medicine spine specialists

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A Leading Cause of Distress

Over any three-month period, more than 25 percent of adults will suffer low back pain. Their grievance is far from trivial. Pain disrupts the lives of many people. Back pain is the number one reason people miss work. It’s also the leading cause of job-related disabilities. According to some experts, the problem is only getting worse. Once considered the sixth most burdensome condition in the United States, lower back pain has risen to third place in recent years.

Types of Back Pain

Pain can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). Sometimes the aches disappear within a day. Other people suffer for months, if not years or decades. Roughly 20 percent of people who suffer an acute case of back pain will go on to develop a chronic condition that lasts for up to a year. The type and severity of pain also vary. Some people feel a dull ache that accompanies them through their daily activities. Others experience a sharp, stabbing pain that prevents them from functioning.

What Causes Low Back Pain?

Pain is a symptom of something else. Typically, it results from an underlying condition. Most back disorders are mechanical, meaning they affect the spine, discs, muscles, and/or nerves. Examples include:

• Ruptured disks
• Degenerated disks
• Skeletal problems or irregularities (e.g., scoliosis)
• Muscle spasms or strains
• Nerve compression (e.g., sciatica)
• Acute trauma
• Long-term lack of exercise

Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian at the Weill Cornell Medicine Center for Comprehensive Spine Care is dedicated to providing world-class medical care to people who suffer from back pain. We remain at the forefront of both research and treatment of spinal conditions. Look through our website to learn more about lower back pain treatment options.

Sources

1. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
2. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. “What Is Back Pain?” 

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This year’s list includes:

Dr. Roger Härtl (who has appeared on the list every year since 2008)
Dr. Jaspal Ricky Singh (since 2016)
Dr. Eric Elowitz (since 2014)
Dr. K. Daniel Riew (since 2000)
Dr. Robert Snow (since 1999)
Dr. Neel Mehta (since 2018)
Dr. Lisa Witkin (since 2019)

The list of top doctors now includes rising stars – young doctors who have already distinguished themselves by outstanding patient care. We are proud to have among our rising stars:
Dr. Vandana Sood (a rising star first designated in 2021)
Dr. Jennifer Soo Hoo (also since 2021)

The back and neck specialists of Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian at the Weill Cornell Medicine Center for Comprehensive Spine Care offer integrated, multidisciplinary treatment for all kinds of back and neck pain, all under one roof. We provide expert diagnostics, pain management, nonsurgical treatment, and surgery if indicated. When surgery is part of a treatment plan, we offer the latest, most advanced minimally invasive options that get patients back on their feet – and back to their lives – as quickly as possible.

Find our more about our services and our physicians.

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Read the complete story on the Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery web site.

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A: I’m a general endocrinologist, a specialist in diagnosing and treating health conditions related to problems with the body’s hormones. I focus on obesity medicine, which is its own field of medicine now. It’s growing fast, and there is now a fellowship (specialized training) in this subspecialty. If someone has concerns about their weight, they can talk to a specialist about their concerns.

It’s important to discuss how we define and measure obesity in the medical field because it is complicated. Body composition is the percentage of fat, bone, and muscle in your body. The most accurate ways to measure body composition are complex, such as submerging someone in water and measuring how much water is pushed out of the way. We can use air rather than water to measure body composition in a process called air displacement plethysmography (ADP). We can measure human body composition with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA scan) — commonly used to measure bone density. However, water displacement, ADP and DXA scans take a lot of time; we can’t do them in the office, and they’re not covered by insurance.

Healthcare providers most often use BMI or body mass index, which is a calculation that uses weight and height. You may have seen these charts. You may have also been told that you have a high BMI that indicates obesity. That’s not always true. There are people with high BMIs that are healthy and people with lower BMIs that are unhealthy. We define the term “obesity” as an increase in body fat that impairs health.

Fat mass, body composition and family history can all affect your health. So, I would like to look beyond body mass index. Because measuring obesity and fat mass is complicated in practical terms, we can instead measure the extent of obesity (called “staging”) the way we do other medical conditions. To do so, we ask: Are they experiencing complications related to high BMI?

We can assess somebody’s obesity by looking at existing medical and mental health issues, as well as their ability to perform daily activities. This method is called the Edmonton Obesity Staging System:

Stage 0: There are no medical, mental or functional health problems related to a high BMI.

Stage 1: Patients have mild health complications of high BMI, such as prediabetes, slightly high blood pressure, mild psychological distress about one’s weight or mild functional impairments, such as joint pain.

Stage 2: Patients have health complications related to high BMI, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, or back pain.

Stage 3:   Patients have organ damage due to health complications related to high BMI, such as kidney damage from diabetes and diabetic neuropathy. We may also see mental depression or the need for joint replacements.

Stage 4:   This is the end stage of the disease. Patients need to use wheelchairs, potentially have congestive heart failure or require dialysis due to complications of obesity and diabetes.

If you have any concerns about your weight and how it may be affecting your spine conditions, contact us. We are happy to help you find the best solutions available.

• Rekha Kumar, endocrinologist and weight management specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine

This question was answered during the episode of Spine Time called “Is Your Weight Hurting Your Back? How Your Daily Habits Affect Your Spine.” A recording of this webinar held on October 14, 2020, is available on YouTube. To sign up for future episodes of Spine Time, where you can ask questions of our spine specialists, subscribe here.

More Ask a Spine Doctor

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Q: I have back pain from scoliosis, but I also have a bleeding disorder. Is it safe to have radiofrequency ablation?

A: Back pain is a common symptom in patients with scoliosis. When pain is not effectively relieved by other treatments such as physical therapy and medication, your doctor may recommend radiofrequency ablation.

Radiofrequency ablation is generally at low risk for bleeding issues, but patients should disclose any history of bleeding disorders and anticoagulant use with their provider to develop an appropriate treatment plan.

Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure, which means it does not require a large incision (a cut in the skin made by a surgeon during an operation), is less invasive than other procedures (such as open surgery), and recovery time is much faster.

Patients taking anticoagulants (medicine to prevent harmful blood clots) or those with bleeding disorders, such as von Willebrand disease, are at higher risk for bleeding during some invasive procedures.

Blood clotting is necessary to stop bleeding from wounds and cuts. Some conditions, such as atrial fibrillation, can cause blood to thicken and clot too quickly. Anticoagulants help thin the blood, so it doesn’t clot as easily. Physicians will sometimes tell patients to stop taking anticoagulant medicine before surgery to prevent bleeding during or after an operation.

When used for scoliosis, radiofrequency ablation works by cauterizing (burning) part of the nerve or nerves in the spine responsible for causing the pain. The physician first numbs the skin on the spine where the treatment will be done. Numbing the skin prevents the patient from feeling any pain in that area during the procedure. Next, a very small cannula (tube) is inserted through the skin and into the spine. A special type of x-ray (fluoroscopy) is used to help the physician see the area better. Heat is then sent through the cannula to burn part of the nerve.

Because the area of the spine treated with radiofrequency ablation is not near any major vessels, the risk of bleeding is low. Your physician will discuss any concerns you have during your evaluation.

The most common question we get asked about radiofrequency ablation is if burning the nerves can cause any side effects, such as problems with moving the legs. The nerves treated aren’t involved with movement; they are mostly responsible for controlling pain, which is why we can do this procedure.

After the procedure, patients experience about one to one and a half years of relief from spine pain. The nerves that cause pain do grow back, but they grow back slower and weaker. We can repeat the procedure for some candidates and provide longer pain relief.

Our experts can give you a complete evaluation. This means we consider all options that may help manage your scoliosis. You want to choose a medical center that will give you individualized care that meets your needs and provide many options so you can choose what is best for you.

Epidural steroid injection is another minimally invasive procedure for treating back pain. This procedure is done by the physician injecting steroid medicine into the joints of the spine. Steroids reduce swelling and help relieve pain caused by swelling. Patients having an epidural steroid injection are evaluated closely to make sure they are not at increased risk of bleeding into the spine.

If you have any concerns about scoliosis or other spine conditions, contact us here at the spine center. We are happy to help you find the best treatment available.

• Kai-Ming Fu, director of spinal conditions and scoliosis, and Dr. Daniel Pak, double-board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine

This question was answered during the episode of Spine Time called “Scoliosis: When Is Surgery an Option?” A recording of this webinar held on December 2, 2020, is available on YouTube.

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Q: What happens next when I find out I need spine surgery? How should I prepare?

A: Coming to the decision to have surgery is very difficult for patients. We want to make sure our patients feel comfortable that we are taking really good care of them. Once it has been determined that surgery will benefit the patient and it has been agreed upon that surgery is going to happen, we want them to feel comfortable that we can guide them through the entire process. We want the patient to know what to expect before, during, and after surgery, so they are happy and comfortable afterward.

One of the most important considerations is the urgency of the surgery. The timing depends on how severe the pain is, whether symptoms get in the way of daily life activities and what will work best for the patient. You don’t want to wait too long, but you also don’t want to rush into surgery. Timing the surgery can be challenging because the patient may have other medical conditions that need to be considered.

Patients also need to be medically cleared for surgery. Medical clearance is important because it means the patient can safely undergo the type of surgery planned. The length of surgery is not as much of a concern as the impact the surgery will have on the patient’s body, such as their heart, lungs, and blood pressure.

Part of preparing patients for surgery includes talking about pain management and recovery. We want to talk about the whole process of surgery including post-operative pain (pain after surgery) and what to expect. Pain experienced after surgery is different than the pain before surgery. A lot of surgeries that we do require only a small incision (cut), which generally have less pain than more invasive surgeries with large incisions.

Depending on the surgery, the pain may not be completely gone afterward but may take some time. We help the patient understand what to expect in terms of immediate pain relief and pain that may take time to relieve. Muscle spasms (involuntary tightening of muscles) usually occur two or three days after surgery. These spasms may cause mild discomfort or more intense pain. When patients know what to expect, they are not surprised.

We use a protocol called ERAS (enhanced recovery after surgery), which is based on scientific evidence that minimizes the pain throughout the surgical experience. ERAS helps the recovery go as smoothly and comfortably as possible. We explain what the patient can expect to happen after surgery. Pain is managed during the recovery period with medication and physical therapy.

The type of pain medication is based on the pain and the type of surgical procedure. We usually use several kinds of medication. Patients who go home the same day may only need high-dose ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Usually, they will also have medication for muscle spasms. Patients may also need a neuropathic medication, which is for nerve pain. If needed, we will order low-dose narcotics for more severe pain. After surgery, the patient will be encouraged to sit up, get out of bed and go for a short walk in the hallway with one of the nurses or doctors. Again, depending on the surgery, outpatient physical therapy may be recommended to increase strength and endurance. Patients will receive instructions about activity restrictions, any equipment needed, such as a brace, and when to contact the doctor or surgeon after they are discharged. The goal is to adapt the surgical experience to the patient’s needs based on their individual situation.

When patients are preparing for spine surgery, we will help them learn what to expect from a physical as well as an emotional standpoint, so they are well prepared, and their questions and concerns have been addressed.

– Dr. Roger Härtl, chief of spine surgery, and Dr. Mohammad Piracha, inpatient pain management program director

This question was answered during the episode of Spine Time called “Preparing for Surgery (and Recovering from It.” A recording of this webinar held on September 30, 2020, is available on YouTube. To sign up for future episodes of Spine Time, where you can ask questions of our spine specialists, subscribe here.

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