Neck, Back and Spine Pain

Back pain affects 8 out of 10 individuals at some point in their lifetime and is one of the leading causes of job-related disability and missed work.^1,2 A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly 30% of adults have experienced back pain in the prior 3 months.³ Stress on the spine resulting from nerve or muscle irritation or bone lesions can lead to a myriad of painful, and sometimes debilitating, symptoms. Acute neck, back and spine pain, lasting days or weeks, usually results from a trauma, injury or can be due to arthritis or disc disease. Chronic neck, back and spine pain, defined as persistent pain lasting more than 3 months, presents with similar symptoms to acute pain, however it can be severely limiting due to its chronic nature. Symptoms of pain, whether it is due to sports injury, work strain, an accident, or an underlying medical condition, can range from muscle aches or tingling to shooting or stabbing pains in the neck or back, often resulting in limited mobility or range-of-motion. Under some circumstances, people may experience radiating pain, leading to pain in limbs or other parts of the body. Back pain, the number one cause of disability globally, is diverse in nature; each patient can experience a range of severity in his or her symptoms.⁴ The American Medical Association recommends that patients experiencing back pain for a few days or weeks, or if nerve involvement is suspected, seek medical consultation to perform a medical history and physical exam so that a doctor can make appropriate recommendations for treatment.⁵