Back Pain: When to Rest & When to See a Doctor

Whether it’s stabbing, burning, aching or throbbing, back pain is one of mankind’s great curses. Afflicting 90% of people at some point in their lives, it’s one of the top medical problems for which people see doctors and the leading cause of job-related disability. So what should you know when the inevitable occurs? When can you self-treat back pain and when should you see a doctor? Is surgery the answer for chronic back pain? In this week’s episode, we examine how to respond when something goes amiss with the spine, a complex system that provides both the stability to keep us standing upright and the flexibility to facilitate movement.Expert: Dr. Paul Holman, Neurosurgeon Interviewer: Todd Ackerman Notable topics covered: The age at which the spinal system starts to degenerate Why some people just live with back pain The No. 1 myth about back pain Ways to prevent back issues from developing The latest innovations in the understanding and care of back pain Lessons from NASA spaceflight about keeping core muscles strong The risk factors and causes of chronic back pain Are supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin helpful? The benefits of meditation for back pain The Tiger Woods Syndrome: back surgery can’t fix tomorrow’s problem today  If you enjoy these kinds of conversations, be sure to subscribe. And for more topics like this, visit our blog at houstonmethodist.org/blog.