Relieving Back Pain

Female Speaker: Playing catch with his son is one of David Zinkler's favorite activities, but this 49-year old Allentown Pennsylvania resident has recently cut back because of lower back pain. He even had to give up his favorite game golf. David Zinkler: Probably the beginning of it would be I would say about 12 to 14 months ago, so a little over a year it started. Female Speaker: David's pain is caused by degenerative changes in the disks of his lower back. David Zinkler: For me it's a very concentrated kind of a dull feeling you know burn in the lower right part of my back. I occasionally can get some, some well I refer to it as may be a jolt or kind of a sudden significant impact in and upon and maybe some sort of turning motion or that type of thing. Female Speaker: David takes medication and has added more exercise to his routine and that helped. But he is still searching for answers to completely relieve his back pain. David Zinkler: It's frustrating because I think most of this are accustom to you know having something wrong with us and we take a pill, we get an injection and you know we put ice on we put heat on it and we do something like that and of course after couple of days it goes away. This has been very frustrating and is often you know it really does test your patience. Female Speaker: Trying to solve the mystery of the aching back has plagued millions of people around the globe. Bruce Nicholson: Back pain is probably the most common presenting pain complaint of individuals in the United States and probably in most industrialized countries around the world. Dr. Lynn Webster: There are some cultural factors that will determine the problems of back pain. The type of work if you are more of an industrial laboring country than not, well what's the average life expectancy? So if the life expectancy is longer people naturally the older we become the more likely we are to develop back disease that can contribute to pain. Female Speaker: Whether back pain is caused by injury, ageing or illness, the effects can be devastating. After a careful examination, doctors may advise some patients to take medications to relieve pain and inflammation or add more exercise to the daily routine. While other patients may need surgery to find relief, but the options available today are better then ever. Dr. Lynn Webster: I want everyone to understand that they should believe that there is way to get their pain under reasonable control. There are very, very few people in whom we can't make a significant difference for. David Zinkler: I look forward to you know hopefully playing golf again and getting back to the, one of the activities I enjoy, I enjoy a lot.