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Whether it's stabbing, burning, aching or throbbing, back pain is one of mankind's great curses. Afflicting 90% of people at some point in their lives, it's one of the top medical problems for which people see doctors and the leading cause of job-related disability. So what should you know when the inevitable occurs? When can you self-treat back pain and when should you see a doctor? Is surgery the answer for chronic back pain? In this week's episode, we examine how to respond when something goes amiss with the spine, a complex system that provides both the stability to keep us standing upright and the flexibility to facilitate movement.

Expert: Dr. Paul Holman, Neurosurgeon

Interviewer: Todd Ackerman

Notable topics covered:

• The age at which the spinal system starts to degenerate
• Why some people just live with back pain
• The No. 1 myth about back pain
• Ways to prevent back issues from developing
• The latest innovations in the understanding and care of back pain
• Lessons from NASA spaceflight about keeping core muscles strong
• The risk factors and causes of chronic back pain
• Are supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin helpful?
• The benefits of meditation for back pain
• The Tiger Woods Syndrome: back surgery can't fix tomorrow's problem today

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