Charles T. Carnel, MD

Interventional Spine, Spine, Workers' Compensation

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205-939-3699

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4.9 Star review based on 220 patient ratings

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Interventional & Non-Surgical Spine Physician

Charles T. Carnel, MD, is a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician and fellowship-trained interventional spine and musculoskeletal medicine specialist at Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center.

As a member of Andrews Spine, Dr. Carnel specializes in advanced, non-surgical treatment of neck pain, back pain and spine conditions, helping patients reduce pain, restore function and improve their quality of life without surgery whenever possible.

Dr. Carnel treats patients at Andrews Sports Medicine’s Birmingham and Hoover – Highway 280 clinic locations, providing comprehensive interventional spine care for patients throughout Birmingham, Hoover and Central Alabama.

His approach begins with identifying the source of a patient’s symptoms and determining the most appropriate treatment—not simply treating the pain. When an interventional procedure is appropriate, Dr. Carnel uses advanced image-guided and minimally invasive techniques to precisely target the area causing symptoms.

Interventional Spine Expertise

Dr. Carnel provides advanced non-surgical and minimally invasive treatments for neck, back and spine conditions, including:

Epidural Steroid Injections
Image-Guided Spinal Injections
Selective Nerve Root Blocks
Radiofrequency Ablation
Facet Joint Injections
Sacroiliac Joint Injections
Kyphoplasty
Treatment of Vertebral Compression Fractures
Musculoskeletal Injections
Non-Surgical Spine Care

Conditions Treated

Dr. Carnel evaluates and treats conditions affecting the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, including:

Neck Pain
Low Back Pain
Herniated Discs
Sciatica
Cervical & Lumbar Radiculopathy
Spinal Stenosis
Degenerative Disc Disease
Facet Joint Pain
Sacroiliac Joint Pain
Vertebral Compression Fractures
Spine-Related Nerve Pain
Chronic Neck & Back Pain

Advanced Interventional Spine Care

For many patients with neck or back pain, surgery is not the first—or only—treatment option.

Dr. Carnel specializes in interventional spine care, an area of medicine focused on diagnosing and treating spine-related pain through targeted, minimally invasive procedures. His goal is to determine where the pain is coming from, why it is occurring and which treatment offers the best opportunity to restore function.

Using X-ray guidance when appropriate, Dr. Carnel can precisely target specific structures of the spine. These procedures may serve both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, helping identify the source of symptoms while delivering treatment directly to the affected area.
Treatment is individualized to each patient and may include rehabilitation, medication, targeted injections or an advanced interventional procedure.

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Minimally Invasive Treatment Options

Dr. Carnel’s fellowship training in interventional spine and musculoskeletal medicine allows him to offer a broad spectrum of advanced treatment options.

Epidural Steroid Injections can deliver medication directly to an inflamed or irritated area around the spinal nerves and may provide relief for appropriately selected patients with conditions including sciatica, radiculopathy, spinal stenosis and herniated discs.
Radiofrequency Ablation uses controlled energy to interrupt pain signals from targeted nerves and may provide longer-lasting relief for certain patients with chronic facet-mediated neck or back pain
Selective Nerve Root Blocks precisely target individual spinal nerves and may help diagnose and treat nerve irritation responsible for radiating pain into the arms or legs.
Kyphoplasty provides a minimally invasive treatment option for appropriate patients with painful vertebral compression fractures. The procedure is designed to stabilize the affected vertebra and reduce fracture-related pain.

Non-Surgical Spine Care at Andrews Spine

Dr. Carnel plays a critical role within the comprehensive Andrews Spine team.

Not every patient with a spine condition needs surgery. By bringing interventional and non-surgical spine expertise together with fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine surgeons, Andrews Spine can help patients move through the appropriate continuum of care based on their individual diagnosis.

When surgery is not necessary, Dr. Carnel provides advanced treatment options designed to relieve pain and restore function without an operation. When a condition requires surgical evaluation, patients have direct access to Andrews Spine’s surgical specialists within the same coordinated program.

This comprehensive approach helps ensure that patients receive the right treatment, from the right specialist, at the right time—with one goal: helping them achieve Victory Over Injury®.

Education & Fellowship Training

A native of Cookeville, Tennessee, Dr. Carnel earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from East Tennessee State University before receiving his medical degree from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University.

He moved to Birmingham in 2006 to complete his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He subsequently completed fellowship training in interventional spine and musculoskeletal medicine.

Dr. Carnel’s combination of board certification in physical medicine and rehabilitation and specialized fellowship training gives him expertise in the complex relationship between the spine, nervous system and musculoskeletal system—and in using targeted, minimally invasive treatments to help patients regain function and quality of life.

Outside of Medicine

Outside of medicine, Dr. Carnel enjoys photography, automotive racing, metalworking, barbecue and traveling with his wife, Hillary. An Eagle Scout, he also enjoys spending time outdoors.

Madison Kirk, PA-C View Bio

Charles Carnel, MD, interventional spine specalist at Andrews Sports Medicine

Charles T. Carnel, MD

Interventional Spine Specialist

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Charles T. Carnel, MD

Comeback Stories

Living in the Montgomery, AL area, it can be a long drive to Andrews Sports Medicine in Birmingham. However, the drive is definitely worth the time. Dr. Jeffrey Davis and Dr. Charles Carnel are both extremely professional and knowledgeable while still having the ability to truly sympathize with their patient’s situation. The staff are all so kind and helpful, and everyone in the office is just outstanding.
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Valari Lagrone | Millbrook, AL
In March of 2022, my husband and I took a vacation to Israel. On the flight home, I started experiencing muscle spasms in my back. I dismissed the muscle spasms to being confined to my seat for the 15+ hour flight home. However, a few days later I woke up with an intense, sharp pain in my neck and numbness and tingling in my left arm. The pain, numbness and tingling intensified over the next few months. My quality of life continued to dwindle each and every day.
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Jenny Cash | Hoover, AL
Within the first 5 minutes of meeting Dr. Carnel, he changed my whole life perception on what physicians “can be.” It was a WOW moment in life. Those are rare. Dr. Carnel is extremely knowledgeable. I could tell that quickly by listening to him communicate with his assistant and also with me.
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Robby Watson | Birmingham, AL
I had a deterioration of my vertebrae in my lumbar spine. The deterioration started in 2013 and the pain was unbearable. I couldn’t perform simple day-to-day activities. In 2016, I saw Dr. Andrew Cordover and he did my L4/L5 surgical fusion. Dr. Cordover was wonderful! He is one of the best surgeons I have seen. He is not only great in a surgical setting but he has a great bedside manner. I didn’t feel like just another patient or “number.”
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Paulette Hunt | Birmingham, AL
I am feeling great and would recommend Dr. James Flanagan to anyone needing hip replacements and Drs. Charles Carnel and Andrew Cordover for back issues. I recommend Andrews Sports Medicine to all my family and friends dealing with orthopedic issues! Before I visited Andrews Sports Medicine, I was experiencing all kinds of pain, but once I took the step to go I was able to focus on getting better.
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Coach Mike Howard | Vestavia Hills, AL

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