Nicholas J Wills, MD

Relieving Nerve Pain Through Advanced Spine Surgery

When people have nerve pain, it’s just about the most miserable pain there is. It ruins a person’s quality of life. As a spine surgeon, I perform many of the procedures designed to free up nerves that are compressed, causing nerve irritation and very painful symptoms. When I’m able to relieve that pressure, my patients feel so much better that it’s very rewarding. I love being able to help people feel better and reclaim their active lives and overall well-being.

Dr. Nicholas Wills, Cervical Disc Replacement Expert

I am an expert in cervical disc replacement (the cervical discs are in your neck). For over 10 years, I have trained surgeons across the nation in advanced disc replacement techniques, including two-level disc replacement that replaces the damaged discs without needing to fuse the bones together. I was the first person to do an on-label, two-level disc replacement in the Twin Cities, and I’m still a pioneer in that area. It’s my particular specialty within spine surgery, and I really enjoy making patients feel much better without losing their neck’s range of motion.

Dr. Wills’s Focus on Correct Diagnosis

The first, and most important, step to excellent care is to make sure we have the correct diagnosis. Once I have the correct diagnosis, I can formulate a treatment plan. And whether that treatment plan involves an injection, physical therapy, surgery, or something else, it all rests on interpreting the patient’s history, symptoms, and imaging to pinpoint the true cause of the problem.

Even though I’m a surgeon, when it comes to surgical procedures, I’m a card-carrying minimalist. I want to do the least amount of surgery possible to get the patient the biggest benefit. If we can do that and meet the patient’s goals without a huge operation, that’s always preferable.

Dr. Nicholas Wills’s Outside Interests

When I’m not working, I’m an avid golfer. I spend as much time I can up at our cabin with our three kids, who love to water ski with me. I also love watching my kids play sports. My daughter plays basketball for Harvard, and my two sons play multiple sports in high school. My wife and I love to go to their games and cheer them on. I was a college basketball player, so I understand the dedication it takes.