Second Opinions

Many experts believe that half of spine surgery recommendations in the United States can be either aggressive or inappropriate because nonsurgical treatment options like spinal injections or spine therapy have not been recommended or tried by the person with back or neck pain.

Many health insurance companies also may require a second opinion to prevent an unnecessary or aggressive spine surgery.

Because spine surgery is a serious decision, it can be a good idea to obtain a second opinion by both a nonsurgical specialty center like SpineGroup Alabama and an experienced spine surgeon.

A second opinion from Dr. Mark Downey and SpineGroup Alabama can provide you the following benefits:

Determine if you have considered all possible treatment options and if there are any other nonsurgical options that can relieve symptoms without the need for surgery.
Determine if you would benefit from any other nonsurgical treatment options as a less invasive alternative to spine surgery.
If spine surgery is necessary in our opinion, we can refer you to a spine surgeon for an evaluation and/or second opinion.

Complete the Second Opinion form below to request a second opinion or appointment.

Mark Downey, MD

As a physiatrist, Dr. Downey specializes in diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of pain-related spinal disorders. He is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) since 2007 and uses his comprehensive spine and musculoskeletal training to determine the appropriate line of treatment for a variety of spinal conditions.

Learn More

Alex Cotter, MD

Dr. Alex Cotter uses his background in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as Pain Medicine to provide comprehensive non-surgical treatment for a variety of spinal conditions. Specializing in interventional spine, he offers fluoroscopic spinal injection procedures to relieve spine-related pain and restore patients’ normal activities and function.

Learn More

Testimonials

"Dr. Downey is a Godsend. He’s caring and compassionate. If you have back problems this is the doctor for you."
"Dr. Cotter was great! Very intelligent and actually gave me great information on nerves and bones in the pelvis. Thank you Dr. Cotter!"
"Dr. Downey is a very compassionate, kind, nice doctor. He has a great bedside manner and listens to you as long as it takes for what you have to say."
"Dr. Cotter and his staff took their time, answered all my questions, and I never felt rushed. This is a top shelf group with a stellar staff. I can't recommend them highly enough!"

Home Remedy Book

As a community service, Spine Group Alabama mails out a free 36-page Home Remedy Book with customized stretches that can relieve some back and neck pain symptoms. Enter your name and address and we will mail you a copy.

Request a Copy

Symptoms Chart

Some symptoms can become permanent if you don’t see the physician with in 24 hours. Find out when you can use “watchful waiting” and when you have an emergency symptom.

Learn More

Need an Appointment?

Spine Group Alabama specializes in the treatment of back pain, neck pain, herniated discs, and all types of ligament strain related to the neck and low back. Spine Group Alabama is referred back and neck pain patients from across Alabama, including Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Huntsville and Montgomery.

Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 8am - 4:30pm
Friday: 8am - 2:30pm
Saturday/Sunday: Closed
(205) 271-6511

Make an Appointment

Website Design & Educational Content © Copyright 2023 Prizm Development, Inc. Developing Centers of Excellence for Better Healthcare
Prizm is the most experienced developer of spine and orthopedic centers in the U.S. with content-rich educational web sites for physicians.