Living Well with Back Pain: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know
368
Living Well with Back Pain: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know
368Paperback(1ST)
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Overview
- Diagnosing—and even eliminating—the problem
- Exercise programs and over-the-counter drug treatments
- Choosing the right medical practitioner
- When surgery and other invasive procedures are not needed
The authors are affiliated with an internationally renowned back treatment center, the Twin Cities Spine Center, which has treated tens of thousands of back pain sufferers. Their expertise and up-to-the-minute knowledge make this the most comprehensive, current, and accessible back pain book available.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780060792275 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | HarperCollins |
| Publication date: | 07/03/2006 |
| Series: | Living Well (Collins) Series |
| Edition description: | 1ST |
| Pages: | 368 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.31(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.83(d) |
About the Author
Marilyn L. Bach, PHD, a health and fitness consultant, is the designer of the ShapeWalking fitness program and the coauthor of ShapeWalking: Six Easy Steps to Your Best Body.
Read an Excerpt
Living Well with Back Pain
What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to KnowBy Robert Winter
HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
Copyright © 2006 Robert WinterAll right reserved.
ISBN: 0060792272
Chapter One
The Good News about Back Pain
We begin with three pieces of very good news:
1. Acute back pain is one of the most common health problems. In fact, 80% of all adults have (or will have) at least one episode of moderate to severe back pain. Why is this good news? Because it means medical science has extensively studied back pain and knows a lot about it.
It also means you're not alone. Millions of people have probably had the exact same problem you do and have healed successfully. With a little careful searching, you can find a medical professional who is very familiar with your specific problem and who has had repeated success in treating people for it.
2. Most back pain doesn't require any professional medical treatment at all. Most cases of back pain are healed naturally by the body and thus go away on their own in a few hours or days. You don't need to see your family doctor, a chiropractor, or a physical therapist (let alone an orthopedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon).
3. You can treat most back pain successfully yourself. Just do these simple things and there's an 80% chance that your back will be better in a few hours to a fewdays:
- Take it easy. Avoid heavy lifting and high-impact activity (jogging, tennis, golf, volleyball, etc.).
- Avoid prolonged sitting. If necessary, do some of your work standing up, or take a ten-minute standing or walking break each hour.
- Put ice on the painful area of your back during the first twenty-four hours of pain, then heat thereafter.
- Take an over-the-counter pain medication such as aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol), or an antiinflammatory medication such as naproxen sodium (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Advil).
- Do not spend a week in bed.
- Rest frequently in the contour position, which is illustrated in the figure.
Because most back pain is benign and goes away on its own, there's usually no point in spending time and money on expensive doctor visits and tests. However, there are several circumstances in which you should immediately see a medical professional:
- If the pain is so severe that you can't sleep or function at all
- If you lose control of muscles in your leg(s)
- If you lose control of your bladder or bowels
Here's the happy paradox: Many people buy this book, read this chapter, and follow its advice. As a result, they get better without seeing a doctor, save themselves the cost of a health appointment, and never need to read any of the remaining chapters. If this happens to you, that's great! But if you are one of the 20% of back pain sufferers who need more help, read on. All the information and support you need are here.
Continues...
Excerpted from Living Well with Back Pain by Robert Winter Copyright © 2006 by Robert Winter. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
What People are Saying About This
“A welcome addition to the body of literature on this important subject.”
“[E]xtremely comprehensive, easy to read, and...full of important information and references.”
“[P]rovides comprehensive information regarding the various evidence-based treatment options available…Will guide [patients] into appropriate treatment pathways.”
“Very well written....easy to read and covers EVERYTHING. I wish I had had [this book] before my surgery.”
“This is a very comprehensive book about back pain that covers all aspects of treatment...clearly written and easily understandable.”
“[A] reader-friendly, comprehensive guide that will prove invaluable for persons with back pain.”
“[A] must read for any person suffering with low-back pain and for those seeking treatment.”
“A fireside chat for back pain sufferers, with all the tools a patient needs to conquer back pain...Highly recommended.”
“As a spine surgeon with over 35 years of experience… I will definitely recommend it to my patients.”
“A must-have resource for anyone who is experiencing back pain or who is considering surgery.”
“LIVING WELL WITH BACK PAIN is unique in breadth and scope.”
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“I strongly recommend is to anyone who has back pain, has had back pain, or wants to...avoid back pain.”
“[J]ust what the spine doctor ordered...invaluable.”
“The information is scientifically sound and is written by one of the giants of spinal care, Dr. Robert Winter.”