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Back and neck pain
Spinal degenerative disease and related disorders
How common are spinal problems?
Spinal degenerative disease is not a life-threatening condition and being part of the normal ageing process, it is not curable. As a result it is extremely widespread, becoming more common as people get older. It is estimated that back pain alone affects about one in five of the population at any one time, and that 80 per cent of people will experience back pain at some time in their lives. The effect on economic activity is considerable, with back pain being responsible for up to five per cent of all time off work. Neck problems, although less common, also account for a good deal of suffering in the community at large.
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Contents
- Introduction
- What causes spinal pain?
- Why do I experience different types of pain?
- What other symptoms can develop?
- How common are spinal problems?
- Could it be something serious?
- What will happen if the pain is not treated?
- What do the various words used by doctors mean?
- What tests can be performed?
- How is spinal pain treated?
- When is an operation necessary?
- What do you recommend, doctor?
- Who should perform my operation?
- What are the drawbacks of surgery?
- What is the recovery period?
- What is surgery fails?
- What advances are likely in the future?
- Conclusions
- Other organisations that may be able to help
