Raj J. Gala, MD, is a spine surgeon who says his priority is to listen to patients, many of whom are experiencing severe pain.
“As we age, we put wear and tear on our bodies, and our spine slowly deteriorates, which can lead to pain in the neck, back, or anywhere in the spine,” Dr. Gala says. “My first step is to let patients tell me their story, to explain what’s bothering them. That helps us decide where to go from there.”
If surgery is needed, Dr. Gala offers a repertoire of options including minimally invasive and robotic spine surgery. The two most common spine procedures are decompression (relieving pinched nerves) and fusion surgery (permanently joining two or more vertebrae).
Relieving back pain can be immensely helpful to patients, Dr. Gala says. “We use our backs in every activity we do, even if it's just sitting or sleeping,” he says. “There's really no way to offload your spine no matter what you're doing. Therefore, it’s no surprise that 90% of the population will have back pain at some point.”
Dr. Gala says he was drawn to the spine specialty because of its potential for innovation.
“There’s still so much research that needs to be done. For example, in the hip and knee world, we know how to replace those joints and restore mobility to where it was,” he says. “We haven’t quite gotten there with the spine, but I’m excited about advances we are making in robotic and endoscopic procedures.”
Dr. Gala’s research focuses on population health, including the factors that influence whether someone experiences back pain or a fracture. He’s also involved in research exploring nerve blocks for pain management.
