Back Pain

Excerpts from the entry on Back Pain in Relieving Pain Naturally by Dr. Sylvia Goldfarb and Roberta W. Waddell. For full entries on all 37 conditions and 27 treatments, order the book.

Back pain is the second most common medical complaint there is, superseded only by the common cold. Eight out of ten Americans develop back pain at some time in their lives, and they spend more than $26 billion annually to manage it. Dr. Jeffrey Perry of The Spine Center in New York says most people have what is called non-specific low-back pain (pain in the lumbar region of the back), but it can also manifest as cervical (neck) pain, or pain from herniated discs, the slippage of fluid from the cushioning discs that lie between the thirty-three S-curve vertebrae of the spine….Back pain is a widespread condition that causes more loss of work time than any other ailment. It is not usually serious and can be prevented or treated, but sometimes it can indicate a serious problem. You should see a medical professional immediately if any of these symptoms occur: you have numbness or tingling in your arms and legs, or lose bladder or bowel control—these could indicate a spinal cord injury; you have a fever, which could be an infection; or you have pain on one side, approximately at waist level—this could be a kidney infection.

Also in this entry:

• Symptoms
• Common Causes
• Diagnosing the Problem
• Conventional Treatments
• Problems with Some Conventional Treatments
• Self-Help Alternative Treatments
• Assisted Alternative Treatments
• Practical Suggestions

See below for full list of all conditions and treatments in the book. Or, download a complete Condition entry or Treatment entry for free.