If one’s symptoms are mild, treatments like Massage, Exercise, and Stress management will suffice in reducing pain and pressure, but those with more severe symptoms are told to undergo unique therapies based on their exact situation. These patients most likely will have their postures and spine alignment fixed, and/or treatments like electrical stimulation may be used to help in reducing pain and aid in flexibility. Medicine, epidural injections and surgeries are also implemented to treat such a disorder.

Spinal manipulation is contraindicated for disc herniations when there are progressive neurological deficits such as with cauda equina syndrome.

A review of non-surgical spinal decompression found shortcomings in most published studies and concluded that there was only "very limited evidence in the scientific literature to support the effectiveness of non-surgical spinal decompression therapy." Its use and marketing have been very controversial.

In the majority of cases, spinal disc herniation doesn't require surgery, and a study on sciatica, which can be caused by spinal disc herniation, found that "after 12 weeks, 73% of people showed reasonable to major improvement without surgery." The study, however, did not determine the number of individuals in the group that had sciatica caused by disc herniation.

- Initial treatment usually consists of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain medication (NSAIDs), but the long-term use of NSAIDs for people with persistent back pain is complicated by their possible cardiovascular and gastrointestinal toxicity.

- Epidural corticosteroid injections provide a slight and questionable short-term improvement in those with sciatica but are of no long term benefit. Complications occur in 0 to 17% of cases when performed on the neck and most are minor. In 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggested that the "injection of corticosteroids into the epidural space of the spine may result in rare but serious adverse events, including loss of vision, stroke, paralysis, and death." and that "The effectiveness and safety of epidural administration of corticosteroids have not been established, and FDA has not approved corticosteroids for this use.".

Often, degenerative disc disease can be successfully treated without surgery. One or a combination of treatments such as physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, traction, or epidural steroid injection often provide adequate relief of troubling symptoms.

Surgery may be recommended if the conservative treatment options do not provide relief within two to three months. If leg or back pain limits normal activity, if there is weakness or numbness in the legs, if it is difficult to walk or stand, or if medication or physical therapy are ineffective, surgery may be necessary, most often spinal fusion. There are many surgical options for the treatment of degenerative disc disease, including anterior and posterior approaches. The most common surgical treatments include:

New treatments are emerging that are still in the beginning clinical trial phases. Glucosamine injections may offer pain relief for some without precluding the use of more aggressive treatment options . In the US, artificial disc replacement is viewed cautiously as a possible alternative to fusion in carefully selected patients, yet it is widely used in a broader range of cases in Europe, where multi-level disc replacement of the cervical and lumbar spine is common . Adult stem cell therapies for disc regeneration are in their infancy. Investigation into mesenchymal stem cell therapy knife-less fusion of vertebrae in the United States began in 2006.

Treatment is usually conservative in nature. Patient education on lifestyle modifications, chiropractic, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), physical therapy, and osteopathic care are common forms of manual care that help manage such conditions. Other alternative therapies such as massage, trigger-point therapy, yoga and acupuncture may be of limited benefit. Surgery is occasionally performed.

Many of the treatments for cervical spondylosis have not been subjected to rigorous, controlled trials. Surgery is advocated for cervical radiculopathy in patients who have intractable pain, progressive symptoms, or weakness that fails to improve with conservative therapy. Surgical indications for cervical spondylosis with myelopathy (CSM) remain somewhat controversial, but "most clinicians recommend operative therapy over conservative therapy for moderate-to-severe myelopathy" (Baron, M.E.).

Physical therapy may be effective for restoring range of motion, flexibility and core strengthening. Decompressive therapies (i.e. manual mobilization, mechanical traction) may also help alleviate pain. However, physical therapy and osteopathy cannot "cure" the degeneration, and some people view that strong compliance with postural modification is necessary to realize maximum benefit from decompression, adjustments and flexibility rehabilitation.

It has been argued, however, that the cause of spondylosis is simply old age, and that posture modification treatment is often practiced by those who have a financial interest (such as Worker's Compensation) in proving that it is caused by work conditions and poor physical habits. Understanding anatomy is the key to conservative management of spondylosis.

Non specific thoracic spine pain is usually treated by one or a combination of the following:

- Exercise/Active and passive physical therapy

- Deep massage or massage therapy

- Ice and/or heat therapy

- Analgesics such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

- Joint manipulation, as commonly performed by physical therapists, chiropractors or osteopathic physicians (D.O.).

- If there is a specific tender spot, then trigger point massage or injections can be helpful.

A painful vertebral compression fracture may be treated with pain medication and rest, or with vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty surgery. If the cause is thought to be osteoporosis, oral or intravenous bisphosphonates may be administered to reduce further fracture risk.

Ideally, effective treatment aims to resolve the underlying cause and restores the nerve root to normal function. Common conservative treatment approaches include physical therapy and chiropractic. A systematic review found moderate quality evidence that spinal manipulation is effective for the treatment of acute lumbar radiculopathy and cervical radiculopathy. Only low level evidence was found to support spinal manipulation for the treatment of chronic lumbar radiculopathies, and no evidence was found to exist for treatment of thoracic radiculopathy.

Cervical spine disorders are illnesses that affect the cervical spine, which is made up of the upper first seven vertebrae, encasing and shielding the spinal cord. This fragment of the spine starts from the region above the shoulder blades and ends by supporting and connecting the Skull.

The cervical spine contains many different anatomic compositions, including muscles, bones, ligaments, and joints. All of these structures have nerve endings that can detect painful problems when they occur. Such nerves supply muscular control and sensations to the skull and arms while correspondingly providing our bodies with flexibility and motion. However, if the cervical spine is injured it can cause many minor or traumatic problems, and although these injuries vary specifically they are more commonly known as "cervical spine disorders" as a whole.

In general, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed initially. This medical treatment is usually accompanied by physiotherapy to increase back and stomach muscles. Thus, the spine can be both relieved and stabilized. If these conservative measures do not bring about betterment, minimally invasive procedures such as a facet infiltration can be conducted to offer relief. In this procedure, a local anesthetic is injected directly into the respective joint, usually in combination with a cortisone preparation (corticosteroid).

The evidence for the use of medical interventions for lumbar spinal stenosis is poor. Injectable but not nasal calcitonin may be useful for short term pain relief. Epidural blocks may also transiently decrease pain, but there is no evidence of long-term effect. Adding steroids to these injections does not improve the result; the use of epidural steroid injections (ESIs) is controversial and evidence of their efficacy is contradictory.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), muscle relaxants and opioid analgesics are often used to treat low back pain, but evidence of their efficacy is lacking.

Potential non-surgical treatments include:

- Education about the course of the condition and how to relieve symptoms

- Medicines to relieve pain and inflammation, such as acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

- Exercise, to maintain or achieve overall good health, aerobic exercise, such as riding a stationary bicycle, which allows for a forward lean, walking, or swimming can relieve symptoms

- Weight loss, to relieve symptoms and slow progression of the stenosis

- Physical therapy, to provide education, instruction, and support for self-care; physical therapy instructs on stretching and strength exercises that may lead to a decrease in pain and other symptoms

Surgery appears to lead to better outcomes if there are ongoing symptoms after three to six months of conservative treatment. Laminectomy is the most effective of the surgical treatments. In those who worsen despite conservative treatments surgery leads to improvement in 60–70% of cases. Another procedure using an interspinous distraction device known as X-STOP was less effective and more expensive when more than one spinal level is repaired. Both surgical procedures are more expensive than medical management.

Treatment options are either surgical or non-surgical. Overall evidence is inconclusive whether non-surgical or surgical treatment is the better for lumbar spinal stenosis.

Patients with symptomatic isthmic anterolisthesis are initially offered conservative treatment consisting of activity modification, pharmacological intervention, and a physical therapy consultation.

- Physical therapy can evaluate and address postural and compensatory movement abnormalities.

- Anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) in combination with paracetamol (Tylenol) can be tried initially. If a severe radicular component is present, a short course of oral steroids such as Prednisone or Methylprednisolone can be considered. Epidural steroid injections, either interlaminal or transforaminal, performed under fluoroscopic guidance can help with severe radicular (leg) pain. Lumbosacral orthoses may be of benefit for some patients but should be used on a temporary basis to prevent spinal muscle atrophy and loss of proprioception.

The effectiveness of non surgical treatments is unclear as they have not been well studied.

- Education about the course of the condition and how to relieve symptoms

- Medicines to relieve pain and inflammation, such as acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

- Exercise, to maintain or achieve overall good health, aerobic exercise, such as riding a stationary bicycle, which allows for a forward lean, walking, or swimming can relieve symptoms

- Weight loss, to relieve symptoms and slow progression of the stenosis

- Physical therapy to support self-care. Also may give instructs on stretching and strength exercises that may lead to a decrease in pain and other symptoms.

- Lumbar epidural steroid or anesthetic injections have low quality evidence to support their use.

Therapeutic exercises are frequently used in combination with many of the previously mentioned modalities and with great results. A variety of exercise regimens are available in patient treatment. An exercise regimen should be modified according to the abilities and weaknesses of the patient. Stabilization of the cervicothoracic region is helpful in limiting pain and preventing re-injury. Cervical and lumbar support braces typically are not indicated for radiculopathy, and may lead to weakness of support musculature. The first part of the stabilization procedure is achieving a pain free full range of motion which can be accomplished through stretching exercises. Subsequently a strengthening exercise program should be designed to restore the deconditioned cervical, shoulder girdle, and upper trunk musculature. As reliance on the neck brace diminishes, an isometric exercise regimen should be introduced. This is a preferred method of exercise during the sub-acute phase because it resists atrophy and is least likely to exacerbate the condition. Single plane resistance exercises against cervical flexion, extension, bending, and rotation are used.

Current surgical procedures used to treat spondylosis aim to alleviate the signs and symptoms of the disease by decreasing pressure in the spinal canal (decompression surgery) and/or by controlling spine movement (fusion surgery).

Decompression surgery: The vertebral column can be operated on from both an anterior and posterior approach. The approach varies depending on the site and cause of root compression. Commonly, osteophytes and portions of intervertebral disc are removed.

Fusion surgery: Performed when there is evidence of spinal instability or mal-alignment. Use of instrumentation (such as pedicle screws) in fusion surgeries varies across studies.

Upper back pain, also called middle back pain or thoracic back pain, is back pain that is felt in the region of the thoracic vertebrae, which are between the bottom of the neck and top of the lumbar spine. It has a number of potential causes, ranging from muscle strain to collapse of a vertebra or rare serious diseases. The upper spine is very strong and stable to support the weight of the upper body, as well as to anchor the rib cage which provides a cavity to allow the heart and lungs to function and protect them.

In most cases, the pain is likely to be self-limiting; in that case no diagnostic tests are required, and simple pain relief is sufficient. More severe and prolonged cases may require more specific pain management strategies and occasionally investigations for underlying medical diseases.

Degenerative anterolisthesis with spinal stenosis is one of the most common indications for spine surgery (typically a laminectomy) among older adults. Both minimally invasive and open surgical techniques are used to treat anterolisthesis.

Manipulative physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises and chiropractic manipulative therapy shows beneficial results for decreasing pain and increasing spinal range of motion. As areas of the spine and tendons can become inflamed NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and Naproxen can be helpful in both relieving pain and inflammation associated with DISH. It is hoped that by minimizing inflammation in these areas, further calcification of tendons and ligaments of the spine leading to bony outgrowths (enthesophytes) will be prevented, although causative factors are still unknown.

Wobbler disease is a catchall term referring to several possible malformations of the cervical vertebrae that cause an unsteady (wobbly) gait and weakness in dogs and horses. A number of different conditions of the cervical (neck) spinal column cause similar clinical signs. These conditions may include malformation of the vertebrae, intervertebral disc protrusion, and disease of the interspinal ligaments, ligamenta flava, and articular facets of the vertebrae. Wobbler disease is also known as cervical vertebral instability, cervical spondylomyelopathy (CSM), and cervical vertebral malformation (CVM). In dogs, the disease is most common in large breeds, especially Great Danes and Doberman Pinschers. In horses, it is not linked to a particular breed, though it is most often seen in tall, race-bred horses of Thoroughbred or Standardbred ancestry. It is most likely inherited to at least some extent in dogs and horses.

Like many other joints throughout the human body, facets can experience natural degeneration from constant use. Over time, the cartilage within the joints can naturally begin to wear out, allowing it to become thin or disappear entirely which, in turn, allows the conjoining vertebrae to rub directly against one another with little or no lubricant or separation. A result of this rubbing is often swelling, inflammation or other painful symptoms.

Over time, the body will naturally respond to the instability within the spine by developing bone spurs, thickened ligaments or even cysts that can press up against or pinch the sensitive nerve roots exiting the spinal column.

While primarily caused through natural wear and tear, advanced facet syndrome can also occur as a result of injury to the spine, degenerative disease or lifestyle choices. These causes can include:

- An unexpected, traumatic event such as a car accident, significant fall or high impact sports injury.

- Osteoarthritis

- Spondylolisthesis

- Obesity

- Smoking

- Malnutrition

- Lack of physical exercise or daily activity

Potential surgical treatments include:

- Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion - A surgical treatment of nerve root or spinal cord compression by decompressing the spinal cord and nerve roots of the cervical spine with a discectomy in order to stabilize the corresponding vertebrae.

- Laminoplasty - A surgical procedure relieve pressure on the spinal cord by cutting the lamina on both sides of the affected vertebrae (cutting through on one side and merely cutting a groove on the other) and then "swinging" the freed flap of bone open.

- Laminectomy - A surgical procedure in which the lamina of the vertebra is removed or trimmed to widen the spinal canal and create more space for the spinal nerves and thecal sac.

Spinal disease (also known as a dorsopathy) refers to a condition impairing the backbone. These include various diseases of the back or spine ("dorso-"), such as kyphosis. Dorsalgia refers to those conditions causing back pain.

An example is scoliosis. Some other spinal diseases include Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, Spina Bifida, Spinal tumors, Osteoporosis and Cauda Equina Syndrome.

The cause of spondylolysis remains unknown, however many factors are thought to contribute to its development. The condition is present in up to 6% of the population, majority of which usually present asymptomatically. Research supports that there are hereditary and acquired risk factors that can make one more susceptible to the defect. The disorder is generally more prevalent in males compared to females, and tends to occur earlier in males due to their involvement in more strenuous activities at a younger age. In a young athlete, the spine is still growing which means there are many ossification centers, leaving points of weakness in the spine. This leaves young athletes at increased risk, particularly when involved in repetitive hyperextension and rotation across the lumbar spine. Spondylolysis is a common cause of low back pain in preadolescents and adolescent athletes, as it accounts for about 50% of all low back pain. It is believed that both repetitive trauma and an inherent genetic weakness can make an individual more susceptible to spondylolysis.