Ah, My Aching Back! http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5251891&ft=1&f=5251891 It's one of the most common complaints in medicine: an aching back. A four-part series examines why the spine is so prone to problems, and the current word on treatment, from surgery to physical therapy to pain medicine. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:23:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Ah, My Aching Back! http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5251891&ft=1&f=5251891 Bad-Disk Reboot: Back Pain May Not Mean Surgery James Weinstein, M.D., chairs Dartmouth College's orthopedic-surgery department; he's considered one of the nation's leading experts on low-back pain, and he says a multi-year study shows little difference in results after surgical and non-surgical treatment approaches. Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:23:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15807449&ft=1&f=5251891 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15807449&ft=1&f=5251891 James Weinstein, M.D., chairs Dartmouth College's orthopedic-surgery department; he's considered one of the nation's leading experts on low-back pain, and he says a multi-year study shows little difference in results after surgical and non-surgical treatment approaches.

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]]> Q & A: Pain Management and the Back When your back is in chronic pain, an approach that heals the mind as well as the body is needed, says Dr. Scott Fishman, an anesthesiologist and chief of University of California, Davis' Division of Pain Medicine. He also talks about the risks of relying too much –- or not enough -- on pain medications. Wed, 22 Mar 2006 14:32:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5295250&ft=1&f=5251891 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5295250&ft=1&f=5251891 When your back is in chronic pain, an approach that heals the mind as well as the body is needed, says Dr. Scott Fishman, an anesthesiologist and chief of University of California, Davis' Division of Pain Medicine. He also talks about the risks of relying too much –- or not enough -- on pain medications.

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]]> Q & A: Physical Therapy and Back Pain Is your truck giving you a bad back? Or does it come from being hunched over a computer all day? And how do you find the best physical therapist for you? Anthony Delitto, chairman of the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Physical Therapy, fields your questions on physical therapy and back pain. Mon, 20 Mar 2006 17:26:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5291204&ft=1&f=5251891 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5291204&ft=1&f=5251891 Is your truck giving you a bad back? Or does it come from being hunched over a computer all day? And how do you find the best physical therapist for you? Anthony Delitto, chairman of the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Physical Therapy, fields your questions on physical therapy and back pain.

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]]> Researchers Identify Different Types of Back Pain Twenty years ago physical therapists treated all back pain in the same way. Now, new rules help therapists categorize a person's back pain and tailor each patient's treatment. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh devised the diagnostic technique. Thu, 09 Mar 2006 06:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5253410&ft=1&f=5251891 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5253410&ft=1&f=5251891 Twenty years ago physical therapists treated all back pain in the same way. Now, new rules help therapists categorize a person's back pain and tailor each patient's treatment. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh devised the diagnostic technique.

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]]> Back Pain Treatments Can Be Tailor-Made When it comes to back pain, there are alternatives to surgery and prescriptions. Some doctors prescribe a combination of over-the-counter medications, exercise and pain-management techniques to get patients moving and pain-free. Wed, 08 Mar 2006 20:34:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5253150&ft=1&f=5251891 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5253150&ft=1&f=5251891 When it comes to back pain, there are alternatives to surgery and prescriptions. Some doctors prescribe a combination of over-the-counter medications, exercise and pain-management techniques to get patients moving and pain-free.

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]]> Q & A: Surgery and Back Pain Last week, NPR asked you to submit your questions on back pain. This week, Dr. James Weinstein answers your questions, tackling subjects from back pain and backpacks to whether it's safe to jog with a "bad back." Wed, 08 Mar 2006 18:15:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5252993&ft=1&f=5251891 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5252993&ft=1&f=5251891 Last week, NPR asked you to submit your questions on back pain. This week, Dr. James Weinstein answers your questions, tackling subjects from back pain and backpacks to whether it's safe to jog with a "bad back."

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]]> For Back Pain, Few Easy Answers on Surgery Americans get surgery for lower-back pain at a higher rate than any other country. Whether that's too many, too few -- or just right -- is a hotly debated subject in orthopedics. At the center of the debate is how to decide who should get surgery for lower back pain. Thu, 02 Mar 2006 23:04:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5240537&ft=1&f=5251891 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5240537&ft=1&f=5251891 Americans get surgery for lower-back pain at a higher rate than any other country. Whether that's too many, too few -- or just right -- is a hotly debated subject in orthopedics. At the center of the debate is how to decide who should get surgery for lower back pain.

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]]> Elegant Spine Also A Source of Pain The human spine is an elegant piece of architecture. But by middle age most people have spinal degeneration. Eight out of 10 people will suffer back pain at some point. Thu, 02 Mar 2006 17:42:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5241167&ft=1&f=5251891 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5241167&ft=1&f=5251891 The human spine is an elegant piece of architecture. But by middle age most people have spinal degeneration. Eight out of 10 people will suffer back pain at some point.

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