Back pain

Introduction: Back pain

Back pain: Back pain is a symptom that can arise from many causes. It can range from a dull, annoying ache to absolute agony. Many cases of back pain are caused by ... more about Back pain.

Back pain: Pain from the back or spine. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Back pain is available below.

Symptoms of Back pain

• Back pain

Medical Textbooks Online about Back pain

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Wrongly Diagnosed with Back pain?

• Misdiagnosis of Back pain
• Failure to diagnose Back pain
• Underlying causes of Back pain (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Failure to diagnose Back pain

Misdiagnosis and Back pain

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Read more about Misdiagnosis and Back pain

Causes of Back pain

• Back or spine disorders causing back pain:
  • Back strain (type of Strain) - caused by lifting or other straining of spine or back
  • Sciatica
  • Disc condition
  • Vertebral condition

See full list of 17 causes of Back pain

More information about causes of Back pain:

• Medications, drugs, or substances causing Back pain (253 listings)
• Underlying causes of Back pain
• Back pain as a complication caused by other conditions
• Back pain as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Back pain

Treatments for Back pain

• Rest - but prolonged bed rest not advisable as it weakens back muscles
• Mild painkillers
• Aspirin
• Physical therapy
• Education

See full list of 14 treatments for Back pain

Videos for Back pain

Patient Surveys for Back pain

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about the symptoms of your Back pain
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Reseach about Back pain

Visit our research pages for current research about Back pain treatments.

Clinical Trials for Back pain

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Back pain include:

• A Study of the Effectiveness and Safety of Tramadol HCl/Acetaminophen Compared to Placebo in Treating Acute Low Back Pain - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - tramadol hydrochloride , acetaminophen
• Imaging Study of Chronic Low Back Pain in Patients Taking Cymbalta (Duloxetine) - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - duloxetine
• Workplace Based Rehabilitation for Low Back Disorders - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain: A Trial Comparing Traditional Back School and Individual Therapist-Assisted Exercise - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• A Study to Evaluate 90-Day Safety of CG5503 Immediate Release (IR) or Oxycodone Immediate Release in Patients With Chronic Pain - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - CG 5503

See full list of 137 Clinical Trials for Back pain

Prevention of Back pain

Prevention information for Back pain has been compiled from various data sources and may be inaccurate or incomplete. None of these methods guarantee prevention of Back pain.

• Regular exercise
• Stretching before sport
• Quit smoking
• Lose weight
• Maintain correct posture

Read more about prevention of Back pain

Statistics for Back pain

• Medical statistics for Back pain
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Back pain
• Death and Mortality statistics for Back pain
• Society statistics for Back pain

Types of Back pain

• Sciatica - back pain involving the legs.

Read more about Types of Back pain

Stories from Users Related to Back pain

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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Back pain, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about Back pain

NINDS Back Pain Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)

Back pain is a symptom that can arise from many causes. It can range from a dull, annoying ache to absolute agony. Many cases of back pain are caused by stresses on the muscles and ligaments that support the spine. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Back Pain Information Page: NINDS)

Pain - Hope Through Research: NINDS (Excerpt)

Back pain has become the high price paid by our modern lifestyle and is a startlingly common cause of disability for many Americans, including both active and inactive people. Back pain that spreads to the leg is called sciatica and is a very common condition (see below). Another common type of back pain is associated with the discs of the spine, the soft, spongy padding between the vertebrae (bones) that form the spine. Discs protect the spine by absorbing shock, but they tend to degenerate over time and may sometimes rupture. Spondylolisthesis is a back condition that occurs when one vertebra extends over another, causing pressure on nerves and therefore pain. Also, damage to nerve roots (see Spine Basics in the Appendix) is a serious condition, called radiculopathy, that can be extremely painful. (Source: excerpt from Pain - Hope Through Research: NINDS)

Definitions of Back pain:

Acute or chronic pain located in the posterior regions of the THORAX; LUMBOSACRAL REGION; or the adjacent regions. - (Source - Diseases Database)