Ah, My Aching Back!
Bad-Disk Reboot: Back Pain May Not Mean Surgery()
October 31, 2007 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.
Q & A: Pain Management and the Back()
March 22, 2006 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.
Q & A: Physical Therapy and Back Pain()
March 20, 2006 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.
Researchers Identify Different Types of Back Pain()
March 9, 2006 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.
Back Pain Treatments Can Be Tailor-Made()
March 9, 2006 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.
Q & A: Surgery and Back Pain()
March 8, 2006 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."
For Back Pain, Few Easy Answers on Surgery()
March 2, 2006 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.
Elegant Spine Also A Source of Pain()
March 2, 2006 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.
