What I am about to tell you could mean the difference between being a back pain sufferer or being someone who is completely pain-free. Getting rid of back pain probably sounds pretty appealing, considering that statistics tell us that the majority of people browsing this article have suffered from back pain at some point. Surprisingly, the answer to getting rid of this commonly shared pain might be a lot easier than you think. However, in order for me to impart any lasting change in your back pain, three things need to happen... and I intend to accomplish all three by the time you finish reading this article.
1) Understand that the current situation isn't working.
This shouldn't be hard to prove - that our current way of assessing and treating back pain isn't effective. Back pain will affect 85% of Americans, with 50% of working Americans reporting symptoms each year. Back pain is the second leading cause of missed work days (the common cold is first), the third most common reason for surgery, and the fifth most common reason for hospitalization. Back pain represents one quarter of all workers compensation claims and comes at a shockingly high yearly cost of about $90 billion.
When you look at the statistics, we are spending more money on treating back pain each year, yet the percentage of people with spine problems continues to increase. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in February 2008, money spent on spine treatments in the U.S. rose 65% in 8 years. Obviously something is amiss, and it has been for a while as indicated by a New York Times article published 14 years ago entitled "With Costs Rising, Treating Back Pain Often Seems Futile."
Why is the current system so ineffective? The primary reason is that back pain is assessed based completely on structure, meaning that any cause other than a problem with the actual structure of the spine is rarely considered. In our structural model of back pain, an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) carries the most credence. However studies have called into question the usefulness of the MRI because this imaging technique appears to point out problems where no true problem lies. In fact, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study in July 1994 where people who had never suffered from back pain were given an MRI. The results? A whopping 28% of people who had never experienced any back pain showed a disc herniation on the MRI and 64% showed an abnormal disc bulge. In the accepted treatment model - these "problems" would be treated with medicine and surgery.
What's worse is that based on ineffective MRI results, patients are having back surgery in record numbers. The number of spinal surgeries has dramatically increased (and I do mean dramatically) with a 500% increase in spinal fusion surgeries over the last decade. It's important to keep in mind that any surgery comes with the risk of serious complications and doesn't always cure the pain. When it comes to back surgery, the outlook is pretty bleak. The surgical results are so poor, there is actually a syndrome named F.B.S.S (failed back surgical syndrome).
But, if it's not a structural problem that is causing back pain, what is it? Research has proven that our emotional outlooks and stress levels are the biggest factors affecting back pain. The other important factor in back pain is diet. What you eat can have a profound impact on how your muscles, bones, and organs function and feel. To prove this, think back to how your muscles felt the last time you were recovering from a hangover or how you feel after drinking too many cups of coffee. Or, on a more positive note, consider how great you feel when you eat really fresh, unprocessed foods and drink lots of water. These examples reveal how much what you put into your body can affect how your entire body feels, from your muscles to your bones. Structural factors are not the most important factor for back pain.
2) Seek out alternative options.
Thirty six percent of Americans are seeking some sort of complementary and alternative treatment. This really isn't a shocking statistic, considering that the more typical mainstream treatments for what ails us tend to carry hefty side effects and risks. More support for alternative and complementary treatments will lead to more research in these areas - and eventually we'll have a medical system that reports more pain-free/disease-free people and fewer surgeries.
3) A paradigm shift in how back pain is viewed.
Back pain is a multi-factorial problem that demands a multi-dimensional solution. By only addressing one factor (structure), you are receiving incomplete and ineffective care. This black and white approach explains why we may feel better after medical treatment, but why we rarely feel 100% well. The Truth About Back Pain, my book on finding permanent relief from back pain, approaches back pain on three levels: structural, nutritional, and emotional. When your body is balanced on a structural, nutritional, and emotional level, true health is achieved - and therefore back pain is relieved permanently. Considering the effects of stress and diet on your back health, along with structural components, is definitely a paradigm shift. But it's a shift in the right direction... the direction of true wellness.