About 80 percent of the U.S. population will experience a significant bout of low back pain at some point during their lifetime. Lower back problems send more people to their doctors than any other pain-causing condition, and it is the leading cause of missed work days and disability claims.
For some first-time sufferers, low back pain seems to come out of nowhere and strike without warning, but often it’s the result of good intentions or good deeds gone wrong. Perhaps the back muscles were overworked during an overzealous exercise session or strained while helping a neighbor lift a heavy piece of furniture. And for many people, it doesn’t happen just once—the pain becomes a recurring nightmare that significantly affects their work and enjoyment of life.
Medication to reduce the pain, and an exercise program designed to increase flexibility and strengthen the muscles that support the back, are usually the first steps to finding respite from lower back pain. Unfortunately, these measures aren’t always enough, and many chronic back pain sufferers eventually turn to surgery for lasting relief. St. Joseph Hospital offers a multidisciplinary approach to spinal problems offering various options, surgical and non-surgical.
“The thought of spine surgery can be overwhelming,” explains Jeffrey Deckey, M.D., chairman, Department of Orthopedic Surgery. “Certainly, results of spine surgery can be mixed. Everyone is not a candidate for surgery. Diagnosis, patient selection, and technique are all equally important in determining the success of surgery.”
Don't let back pain stop you from being your active self. Click here to learn more about St. Joseph Hospital's orthopedics program, or click here for a physician referral.