Comprehensive Neurosurgical Care on the Seacoast and in the Lakes Region

Carlos Palacio, MD, is a board-certified neurosurgeon with over 40 years of expertise provides patients with comprehensive neurosurgical care on the Seacoast in Portsmouth and in the Lakes Region in Gilford. He provides advanced diagnoses and personalized treatment options for conditions of the brain, spine, and peripheral nervous system. In 1987, Dr. Palacio co-founded Coastal New Hampshire Neurosurgeons in Portsmouth, the first comprehensive Neurosurgical Program of its kind in the region. He performs surgery at Portsmouth Regional Hospital and is fluent in English and Spanish.

Here, Dr. Palacio answers some common questions about neurosurgery:

Q: What is a Neurosurgeon?

A Neurosurgeon has received advanced, specialized training in diagnosing and treating disorders related to the nervous system, brain, and spine. Neurosurgeons provide both surgical and non-surgical care to patients of all ages.

Q: What types of conditions does a Neurosurgeon treat?

Patients may be referred to a Neurosurgeon for a variety of conditions, especially those affecting the head, neck, and spine, including:

• Chronic pain in the head, neck, back, or extremities
• Traumatic brain or spinal injuries
• Seizure or movement disorders
• Tumors on the brain or spine
• Degenerative diseases

Q: How soon should someone see a Neurosurgeon for neck or back pain?

While most episodes of back and neck pain are successfully treated with simple measures, persistent chronic neck and back pain can indicate a more serious problem. It is especially important for a patient to make an appointment with a Neurosurgeon as soon as possible if their neck or back pain is accompanied by any of these conditions:

• Pain radiating into the arms or legs
• Weakness or numbness in the extremities
• Difficulty with walking or balance
• Issues with bowel or bladder control

Pain in the neck or back, in combination with any of the symptoms above, may indicate there is a larger issue with the nerves or spinal cord that needs to be addressed before more serious neurological damage occurs.

Q: What non-surgical treatments are available for pain?

Neurosurgeons will always try to resolve pain without surgery, though it is sometimes necessary. Non-surgical treatment can include medications, steroid injections, physical therapy, or meeting with pain specialists and physiatrists.

Q: When surgery is necessary to treat neck or back pain, what are the options?

If non-surgical treatments are not effective and pain or other physical issues persist, there are several state-of-the-art surgical procedures that can help including:

• Spinal fusion—used to reshape the neck (cervical) or spine (lumbar) and correct instability and weakness
• Laminectomy—enlarges the spinal column to reduce pressure on nearby nerves, often the cause of numbness, weakness, and pain
• Microdiscectomy and discectomy—removes all or part of a spinal disc
• Artificial disc replacement—addresses pinched nerves in the neck to restore flexibility and alleviate pain

Dr. Palacio sees patients at two convenient locations:

Seacoast

Coastal New Hampshire Neurosurgeons
330 Borthwick Ave., Suite 300
Portsmouth, NH 03801

Lakes Region

Advanced Spine and Orthopedics
14 Maple Street, Suite 100
Gilford, NH 03249

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Palacio in Portsmouth, call (603) 433-4666.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Palacio in Gilford, call (603) 522-6163.