Back pain: types and treatments

Ouch! Is your lower back smarting? You’re not alone. From dull aches to stabbing pains, physicians estimate that 90% of Americans seek medical attention for back pain at least once in their lifetime. It’s one of the most typical reasons for missed work, second only to the common cold. Treatments, some very expensive, include supplements, spinal adjustments, surgery, steroids, and even stem cell injections. What, if anything, works? And why are so many of us in pain?

Ouch! Is your lower back smarting? You’re not alone. From dull aches to stabbing pains, physicians estimate that 90% of Americans seek medical attention for back pain at least once in their lifetime. It’s one of the most typical reasons for missed work, second only to the common cold. Treatments, some very expensive, include supplements, spinal adjustments, surgery, steroids, and even stem cell injections. What, if anything, works? And why are so many of us in pain?

Guests:

Dr. A. Nick Shamie, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurosurgery, UCLA

Dr. Sean Thompson, Licensed Doctor of Chiropractic, owner of Back Benders, a chiropractic clinic in Eagle Rock, California