When you hear the term “worldwide health epidemic,” what is your first thought? Malnutrition, maybe, or some other malady largely associated with third world countries? As is it turns out, there is a global epidemic that is very much a part of first world nations like the United States, and it is only becoming more common: back pain. That may not sound like a serious concern, but anyone who has suffered from a slipped disc or pinched nerve neck pain will tell you that back pain can be literally debilitating. It is also increasingly common, with lower back pain alone found to affect nearly 100 million people worldwide. The toll that back pain exerts on the global economy is tangible, too, as back pain often results in individuals missing work and accruing massive debts in the form of unpaid medical bills.
One factor that is worsening the situation is the way that people tend to treat back pain. Simply put, far too many people are undergoing invasive surgeries in an attempt to fix their aching backs, and the results are devastating. For one thing, surgery tends to be much more expensive than more conservative approaches to treatment. Additionally, back surgery puts people out of commission for extended periods of time.
All of this might be worth it if the back surgeries were solving the problem, but the reality is that surgery is not always an effective method of treatment. Back pain can be caused by anything from sleep disorders (such as sleep apnea) to repetitive motions at work to plain old bad posture, and unless these underlying causes are addressed, the back pain will return in spite of surgery. Most patients who undergo surgery will need physical therapy to prevent them from falling back into the old habits that caused their back pain in the first place. And for many people, undergoing that same physical therapy instead of leaping straight into surgery can resolve the back pain on its own.
If you or someone you care about suffers from back pain, suggest that a surgeon may be a last resort, not a first option. Surgeons are very good at what they do, but what they do is perform surgery, so if the first specialist you consult is a surgeon they will likely recommend a surgical procedure. By contrast, a neurologist will first see if he or she can address your problem through a non-invasive treatment plan. Depending on your diagnosis, surgery may indeed be a viable solution, but neurologists deal with pinched nerve neck pain and other causes of chronic backaches on a daily basis, and can advise you of all your options. In the end, the cure to your severe back pain may be as simple as changing your sleeping habits or doing some light physical therapy.
At Rowe Neurology Institute, we have the most current diagnostic tools, and a staff of neurologists and integrated caregivers who specialize in back and neck pain. We’ve treated thousands of acute back and neck pain patients and helped them recover without surgery.
