Returning FUNCTION
Reducing PAIN...
Restoring QUALITY OF LIFE
ABOUT
Coastal Virginia Spine and Pain Center
- Dedicated and Skilled Professionals
- Performing Comprehensive Evaluations
- Treating Acute and Chronic Pain
- Involving the Spine, Joints and Muscles
- Utilizing Over 30 Years of Experience
- Providing Quality Care for Patients
- Covering the Coastal Virginia Region
- Centrally Located in Virginia Beach
At Coastal Virginia Spine and Pain Center, we specialize in all types of pain that can range from:
- The elite athletes at the competitive level, to those that spend more time in their living room recliners cheering on their favorite team as well the "Weekend Warriors
- The avid gardener to the avid TV binge watchers.
- Those who are addicted to their social media devices
- Those who spend too much time on their computers or driving in their vehicles
- Those who are recently injured to those who have had pain for years.
- Those who have no idea what started their pain
What all of these people have in common is PAIN, and we take pride in helping all of the "athletes" in getting back to a better quality of life with less pain and improved function.
The ultimate goal of treatment is to reduce or alleviate pain and improve your function. At Coastal Virginia Spine and Pain Center, this is achieved by starting with a positive provider-patient relationship and trust. You and your treating provider will review your situation and determine an accurate diagnosis. A tailored treatment plan is then implemented which may include medications, Physical Therapy, and/or Injection Therapies (Spinal, Joint or Muscular), using cutting- edge technologies.
We try to achieve the best relief of your pain while utilizing conservative methods. If medications are required, we try to control your pain while avoiding potentially addictive medications and use the lowest doses possible in your situation. We also strive to educate our patients in order to help them manage their symptoms on their own.
Treatment at Coastal Virginia Spine and Pain Center will help you regain control of your life instead of allowing pain to stay in control- START YOUR ROAD TO RECOVERY and call for an appointment.
PATIENT RESOURCES
Physician Referral Form
Please download the Physician Referral Form and fax it to when referring your patient to our practice for a Physiatric Evaluation, Spinal or Joint Procedure, Physical Therapy, EMG/NCS or our Weight Management Program.Patient Portal
Please connect to our Patient Portal to see your information.Patient Forms
Patient FormsPost Procedure Forms:
- Platelet-Rich Plasma
Practice and Billing Questions
Billing QuestionsFrequently Asked Questions
Medical Records Release
Medical Records Request
Our Location
Hours
Our Services
Interventional Pain Management
Spinal and Joint Injections
Physical Therapy
Regenerative Medicine
Electromyography
Nerve Conduction Studies
Weight Mangement
Medication Management
Workers Compensation Case Management
Treatment of
Back Pain
Treatment of back pain, which includes the neck, mid and lower back region and pelvis, involves a comprehensive evaluation to help determine the best plan of care to help relieve the pain and restore function and improve quality of life. At Coastal Virginia Spine and Pain Center, we do not just want to help relieve your pain, but to provide education, postural and behavioral retraining along with hands on therapy.
Initially the course of treatment for back pain is conservative, which typically include some combination of medication, exercises, physical therapy and education, or just letting the injury heal through modification of body mechanics.
There are times when conservative efforts fail to bring adequate relief of pain and then interventional options need to be entertained. Fluoroscopically-guided injections in and around the spine are used to help decrease the source of the pain which is resulting from mechanical or chemical irritation of the nerve.
- Activity modification
- Medications
- Physical Therapy
- Exercise
- Postural education and retraining
- Fluoroscoscopically-Guided Injections
- Diagnostic Medial Branch Blocks
- Facet Joint Injections
- Sacroiliac Joint Injections
- Epidural Steroid Injections
- Radiofrequency Ablation
- Spinal Cord Stimulator
Treatment of
Joint Pain
Joint pain affects everyone at some point in their lives. The reasons vary whether it be from an acute sports injury or an old one, or it may just be the results of the natural aging process. Regardless of the cause, joint pains hurt, and they impact our day-to-day functions at times.
At Coastal Virginia Spine and Pain Center, our clinicians will identify the cause through careful examination, and if necessary, advanced diagnostics. We will educate you on your options towards pain relief, and work with you to form an individualized treatment plan to get you feeling better and more functional.
Treatments widely vary, and while we hope all our patients achieve pain relief with the most conservative measures, some cases require interventional care to obtain optimal improvement. Our providers perform joint injections under Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (MSKUS) guidance in order to improve our patients outcomes.
The use of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound-Guided procedures (MSKUS) have improved the accuracy of joint, bursa and tendon injections all the while improving patient comfort levels during the procedure... Read More
We also provide Viscosupplementation injections to the knee secondary to Osteoarthritis. This uses Hyaluronic Acid which is naturally found in the joint synovial fluid, and injecting this into the knee can help with increasing the lubrication of the joint and decrease pain
Trigger Points
Myofascial Pain Syndrome results from Trigger Points that occur from trauma, such as a whiplash injury or microtrauma that can result from improper posture, muscle imbalances, overuse or working at a computer. The pain or referral patterns of the trigger points help us to determine which muscles are the primary problem which are impacting other areas.
Trigger Points can be treated with physical therapy, including dry needling, as well as trigger point injections. The injections involve injecting a numbing agent to make the muscle immediately relax and relieve pain. Trigger Point Injections are relatively safe and can even be performed during pregnancy.
Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative Medicine, (commonly referred to as "Biologic Healing" and "Stem Cell Therapy") describes a process by which an intervention is performed in order to initiate regeneration of injured or damaged sites within the body. This cutting-edge treatment has been shown to improve both pain and function in many painful conditions such as osteoarthritis, tendonitis, partial tendon tears and ligament injuries.
Our provider team at Coastal Virginia Spine and Pain Center will assess the cause of your pain, and then decide which Regenerative Treatment method would be best to heal your condition. We currently offer Platelet-Rich Plasma, Prolotherapy, and Wharton's Jelly (Amniotic Stem Cell Therapy or ASCT).
Common pain conditions patients can benefit from Regenerative Injection Therapy:
- Golfer’s and Tennis Elbow
- Rotator Cuff Conditions
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Osteoarthritis - Shoulder, Hand, Hip, Knee, Ankle, Foot
- Bursitis - Shoulder, Hand, Hip, Knee, Foot
- ... and many others... Read More
Physical Therapy
Our physical therapists are specialists in the evaluation and treatment of movement and postural dysfunction. They are interested in preventing the onset and/or slowing the progression of conditions resulting from injury, disease, and other causes.
To provide the best care for our patients, our therapists rely on their training, continuing education and years of experience to use a combination of techniques, and innovative approaches, in order to restore function and quality of life for our patients.
Every patient is evaluated and treated specifically for their needs... not typical protocols to "treat the masses". Patients are evaluated and treated by the same therapist for the duration of their care. In addition to treatment, education and learning long-term management skills are key elements in helping our patients achieve THEIR GOALS.
Treatment that we provide through Coastal Virginia Spine and Pain center include... Read more
- Stabilization and Strengthening Exercises
- McKenzie Exercises for Neck and Back Exercises
- Osteopathic Manipulations
- Restoration of Postural Mechanics and Function
- Breathing Techniques
- Myofascial Release Techniques
- Soft Tissue and Scar Tissue Mobilizations
- Craniosacral Release Techniques
- Stain-Counterstrain Techniques
- Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS)
- NeuroMobilization
- Neurokinetic Techniques
- Hypopressives
Electromyography/
Nerve Conduction
An Electromyography (EMG) is done to find diseases that damage muscle tissue and nerves or the function between nerve and muscle by measuring electrical activitiy in muscles. An EMG measures the electrical activity in muscles. It can help to differentiate problems in a muscle, nerves supplying a muscle, the spinal cord or the brain, which can cause paralysis, weakness or muscle twitching.
Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) are performed to find damage or injury to the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system includes all nerves that lead away from the brain and spinal cord and the smaller nerves that branch out from those nerves. NCS are used to help in the diagnosis of such conditions as nerve entrapments, plexopathy, peripheral neuropathy and radiculopathy.
Read more...
Weight Management
Coastal Virginia Spine and Pain Center offers a six-month, supervised program for patients needing to lose weight.
It is for patients who:
- Want or need to lose weight
- Cannot have surgery because of weight
- Have been unsuccessful in weight loss or other diet programs
- Cannot tolerate regular exercise
Medication Management
The goals are to focus on pain management and to improve the patient’s quality of life by using minimally invasive techniques to diagnose and treat the patient. While we do prescribe medications to help with the management of pain for the patient’s benefit, the emphasis is on a minimal reliance on medication, whenever possible.
Workers Compensation Case Management
Meet Our Staff
Robert Spear, D.O.
Bonnie Nock, D.O.
Kristi Nixon-Cartwright, NP-C
Abby Barney-Dunlap, PA-C
Eric Rymal, PA-C
Kathryn Bragg, PT
Scott Burch, PT
Robin Levine, PT
What our patients say...
The staff was prompt and efficient. When I got to see the nurse practitioner Kristi Nixon Cartwright, she was knowledgeable and quick to find a possible solution to my problem. Dr. Robert Spear acknowledged Christie's analysis and got me on my way to fix the problem, a problem I've had for more than a year. I will add to this after I see another doctor for minor surgery.
K. B. Great care and kindness was shown to me (& my husband) from everyone! The doctor took the time to make sure we understood and had no questions. I was made to feel extremely comfortable and well taken care of.
Elizabeth D. Robin @ Coastal Spine has done an outstanding job helping me through this painful condition. She is very good at explaining the mechanics of the exercises and helps you understand what you need to do to improve your condition and lessen pain. She's a good listener and tailors your care to achieve optimal results. Always professional and courteous- thanks Robin and Coastal. Strongly recommended!!
Trent B. Excellent care. The staff listens to my questions about my condition, and we work through the options and develop a plan. As new information is developed, the options and plans are updated.
Most amazing for a doctors office, they have excellent scheduling. The longest I had to wait after the appt time was 5 min.
Highly recommend.
Kevin M. Office staff and doctors were great, very honest and upfront. They couldn't really help me out but I'm sure they help plenty other people out. They were quick. I was in and out of the office pretty fast as I was an excruciating pain but everybody did their job and did really good at it. What can I say?
Harold Z. Although, I was in excruciating pain during my visit, the doctor and his staff really made me feel welcomed. Dr. Spear listened to me and showed much concern about my situation. That truly meant everything to me. I knew something was wrong with my body, but didn't know how to express it. He was not afraid to address my concerns, and I look forward to him helping me get better!
Trina R. The kindness and friendliness are night and day from what im used to, and I am thankful the military referred me to this location. Most active military or even veterans understand how difficult it is to receive proper care. Coastal Pain and Spine is the best care I have ever received. Not only did they find the potential reason for my lower back pain, but they took the appropriate steps to help minimize the pain.
Frank B. Kathy is very capable and I’m looking forward to having sessions with her. I feel they the are a great practice…
Linda C. Very pleasant and helpful staff. Dr. Spears explains so you can understand whatever he's doing and why. He lets you know where your problem area is.
He greets you with his warm smile and doesn't treat you like a number but is patient with addressing all your concerns. I would recommend him to anyone.
Daramailya B. Dr. Spear and Kristi Nixon are amazing. Dr. Spear gives great injections and has an amazing bedside manner. You just cannot beat the care received from this office. From the front desk staff to all of the assistants it is just a 5 star physician
Chad S. K. Bragg is an amazing therapist. When my other doctors and chiropractor can't figure out my issues, she immediately identifies the problem and begins immediate pain improvement. SHE IS THE BEST!
Monica W. My doctor worked fast in determining the cause of my pain and immediately helped relieving some of my pain. My appointments are set up fairly fast. I really appreciate the help and suggestions for future procedures.
Bobby H.CEOThe receptionists are very pleasant. The waiting room is bright and clean. Since I have only ever seen one doctor there, I can only rate him. Dr. Spear is phenomenal. I've seen him for 15 years, and I'll always wait for an appt with him only. He's a genuinely great person, he is a Christian, which is important to me. He is kind. And he knows what he's doing, for sure. I always feel better a couple of minutes after treatments, and he has stopped the headaches, backaches and whatever else "aches". Important to know is that he doesn't take care of feet/ankles. This has frustrated me over the years because I have a foot/ankle that has required 8 operations to keep it stable. Because of the immense pain it causes me, I do wish Dr. Spear treated feet/ankles. But he is a great doctor, very friendly, and treats you with respect every time. I am proud to call him my favorite physician.
Kimberly J. I highly recommend this practice I had my second appointment today: Kristi/Spear re-diagnosed me and treated me in two visits. I’ve had 100% better results then the two years I spent going to the practice I just left. I was actually shocked to call the office and every time speak to someone kind, caring, and helpful. Every time you call you speak to the front desk, there’s no waiting around for your call to be returned days later or the portal that you don’t get responses on rather a call usually while at work so another message and by the time you actually speak to someone you’re a month out from getting seen. Not the case here :) It was easy to schedule a last minute appointment, they got me in with Kristi the very next day. Spear and his fabulous staff took care of me today and after the injections I was able to bend over with no pain. I haven’t been able to bend over pain free in 10 years. It’s so hard to find a practice where the entire team of medical professionals and the front desk are ALL AMAZING!
Courtney C. Office was very clean, staff at desk very nice and patient (I got lost). Kristi Nixon was very efficient, competent, and kind. Dr. Spears was great. He was very honest and knowledgeable. Before I left the office tests had been ordered, prescriptions called in, and next appointment set. I would highly recommend this center to anyone in pain!
Betty B.Dr. Spear and staff were great. From checking in to leaving I was treated well.
Donna W. I just had my injection for pain in my shoulder that I have been suffering from for 2 years. Eric Rymal did a great job, I was so nervous, but he put me at ease. The injection wasn't as painful as I thought it would be. First night sleep I've had in years without being awaken by that awful pain. Office staff were so nice, everything in there was extremely clean. I would highly recommend Dr. Spear and Eric Rymal all the other partners.
Cecelia T. Very professional and polite staff. The MRI results, diagnosis, and treatment options were discussed. When i left the appointment I understood the next step and was confident that I was going to get relief from the pain.
Pat B. Scott Burch is the BEST!!! Something we had done as a new exercise, caused me to be in so much pain that I went back to his office, after leaving and driving away and he took the time to help me. Lisa upfront, asked me when I was leaving the first time , she looked at my expression and asked -"Are you sure you don't need to go back and see Scott". I said no I can handle it. Well I couldn't-- Thanks to a great staff that Cares about it's patients.
Carla J. Everyone who works here is very nice, knowledgeable, and helpful. They explain everything they are doing and answer all of my questions to the best of their knowledge. Dr. Spear is Great for Botox for migraines. The office staff is always easy to get a hold of and very helpful with paperwork that needs to be done. I highly recommend this practice!
Laurel S. Amazing results! I got immediate relief and guidance to helping myself get well.
Beth C. I was very nervous when I went Into the office because I didn’t know what to expect. The ladies were very sweet, helpful and very caring. Dr. Spear made the procedure very easy, he put me to ease immediately and I got through it with no problems at all. His manner was very professional, he has a great bedside manner and he made me Relax and get through it with no problem at all. I would recommend this doctor to anyone who has any back or hip problems.
Linda H. The physical therapy is on point. I have long been experiencing issues. I was referred here by my internal medicine doctor. I am not going to say it's an easy fix, but it is a progressive therapy that is helping. The entire staff is sharp and friendly. They watch after each patient as multiple services and doctors are here. They are especially attentive and current on the COVID protocols.
I don't think you can get an appointment in with Scott Burch, but he is gifted in serving in this profession. He is attuned to the body physiology and knows just the appropriate contortions to address the phase of care. His cohorts are talented, too.
This Center is located across from Mt. Trashmore, just off the 264. The staff is filled with some of the best.
Jennifer D. I will recommend them to everyone. Dr. Spear is great. He has good bedside manner. He is concerned about YOU. He listens and addresses your problem areas head on. Robin Lavine PT is awesome. She takes her time, is very knowledgeable and strong lol. She will definitely get the kinks out. The staff is friendly. The office is immaculate.
Messey B. I’ve been seeing Kathy for my PT for some time now. She is by far the best that I have ever been too. She listens and gives good feedback. She also goes above and beyond to help me. I had a very bad rib injury. I dont think any other physical therapist could have done for me what she has.
Andrew C. Excellent staff & therapist, esp. Scott Burch.
Jim S. Very helpful and friendly staff. The office is very clean and Dr. Spears and staff are amazing!
Kathy V. Excellent experience. Staff and doctors were courteous and answered all of my questions. Provided assistance when requested.
Wait time was very reasonable and facilities (including restroom) were neat and clean.
Rick B. They are very kind, and professional. Taking proper precautions and continuing to treat their patients with compassion and great care!
Lois G. 