Back Pain
• Sixty perecent of adults experience back pain at some time in their life.
• Back pain lasting longer than three months is considered chronic back pain.
• Lower-back pain is common and is the fifth most common reason for seeing a doctor.
• Eighty-five percent of patients with lower back pain do not obtain a medical evaluation or receive a specific diagnosis and most episodes are usually self-limiting.
• Common causes of back pain include:
· Herniated discs (rupture of the disc with protruding contents pushing on spinal nerves)
· Spinal stenosis (obstructing nerve canal)
· Compression fractures (crushing break of the back bone).
• Back pain that persists or worsens can be a sign of a serious condition and should be evaluated by your doctor.
Posted on September 24, 2008
