Back and neck pain are the number one reason that Americans visit the doctor for anything other than a scheduled check up and also the number one causes of days missed from work due to illness and injury. There are a number of causes of neck and back pain, but the majority of them are related to disorders of the spinal column and the associated nerves.

Depending on what caused the injury neck and back pain may or may not be accompanied by other neurological difficulties including leg pain, the loss of sensation in the lower extremities and more.

One of the most difficult aspects of neck and back pain is trying to determine what kind of treatment will provide a patient with lasting relief. As neck and back pain are also the number one reason that American workers are placed into the Worker’s Compensation system finding a solution for the pain not only restores a better quality of life but also the ability to earn a decent living.

When neck or back pain first appears the first treatment most doctors recommend are simple remedies that can be easy implemented. Ice and or heat packs, a limited activity schedule and perhaps the use of a basic anti inflammatory medication. Contrary to what many believe extended bed rest is not advisable as it only serves to allow the muscles to tighten even further and exacerbate the pain.

If the symptoms of back and neck pain do not improve with a couple of weeks of this conservative treatment further investigation is warranted.

Most doctors then proceed to radiographic or catscan imaging to try to determine the sources of the pain. Disk herniation, nerve compression and rarely infection or even cancers are revealed by these studies. In addition a radiological study to determine the cause of back pain is often the only way a potentially life threatening condition known as an abdominal aortic aneurysm or” triple A” is accidentally discovered.

The surgery versus physical therapy and pain management issue almost always confronts patients who have been suffering from neck and/ or back pain for a period of several months. Many doctors caution that surgery should be the last resort and that sufferers should try physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation, steroidal injections and even acupuncture before making the decision to go under the knife. Massive advances have been made in the surgical procedures used to try to alleviate neck and back pain but they still offer very little in the way of guarantees that they will alleviate the pain and carry a significant risk that surgical intervention may actually worsen the problem.

Unfortunately many of those whose neck and back pain problems are the result of a work related injury are pressured by insurance companies and lawyers who work within the Worker’s Compensation system to proceed directly to surgery. The insurance carriers want the workers to re enter the workforce as soon as possible to get them off their books and even the patient’s own lawyer will often advise surgery as the better option to ensure that they receive maximum benefits. What these patients need to understand though is that the decisions regarding the treatment of their neck or back pain must be made solely by them with input from the medical professionals treating them and outside influences cannot legally mandate what those decisions should be.