Powers Health educates community on spinal issues at Spine Symposium

Powers Health recently welcomed the community to its popular Spine Symposium at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster.

The event provided attendees with a deep dive into the causes and types of spinal issues that a person can experience.

“About 80% of people in the United States will suffer from some kind of back pain over time,” said Jill Conner, executive director for neuroscience services at Powers Health. “The type of work or activity that you do can increase your prevalence. There are many different treatment options out there, so we want to make sure we’re informing the public about which options are available.”

Professional speakers came to the Spine Symposium to educate people about the specifics of surgical, therapeutic and pain management options. Attendees were able to ask each expert questions following their presentations.

“We have both orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons here, both doing spine procedures,” Conner said. “They are here to give their viewpoints on the different types of procedures that can be done. We want the patients to have the right information and make sure they’re seeing the right physician.”

While spinal issues can be genetic or come with age, they also can arise from simple tasks. It’s important to be mindful of this at all times, especially for people who often twist and bend their bodies.

“We emphasize the importance of keeping yourself healthy,” Conner said. “People need to know what kind of strategies they can utilize. As we age, back pain is only more likely. Taking care of yourself and making sure to do things that keep you away from surgery are very important.”

The physicians who spoke at the event were Joshua Simon, MD, Gregory McComis, MD, Nitin Khanna, MD, and James St. Clair, MD. Having the opportunity to learn from these field experts and several participating vendors is imperative for Powers Health to contribute to a healthier community, Conner said.

“It’s always good for our community to not just learn about their resources, but to do so from the professionals,” she said.

More than 125 people attended the Spine Symposium. Powers Health plans to continue doing educational outreach events.

“It’s important anytime we can touch the public with education,” Conner said. “We want to inform our community about promoting and maintaining health. These events allow people to understand and take what they have learned with them to stay healthy moving forward.”

For more information about Powers Health, visit PowersHealth.org.