Back Pain

Oh my aching back!! Back pain is the number one problem facing the workforce in the United States. Low back pain is one of the most expensive benign conditions in America. Every year 5-10% of the population 900-150,000 people get low back pain. Risk factors are repetitive lifting, vibration, smoking, alcohol abuse, multiple pregnancies, inactivity, osteoporosis, and a familial trend. There are no quick fix or total cure for most back problems. The good news is that chronic back problems can be treated effectively to limit the impact on your every day life. Most people with low back pain do not simply injure their back suddenly. Over many years your back is subjected to repeated stress which may not result in pain at the time the injury.

The anatomy and physiology of the spine is simple yet difficult to describe. Consider a pile of children's blocks alternated with cushions and stablilized with guy ropes. In your spine, the blocks are boney verteb...