Back and Neck Disorders Sourcebook

Omnigraphics' Health Reference Series is designed for the general reader seeking guidance on how to avoid serious illness by following preventive lifestyles and recognizing early warning signs. It also supports the layperson who has received a diagnosis of a serious disease or disorder as well as the family member or nonprofessional caregiver who must learn to care and to cope with the illness. Each volume in the series deals comprehensively with a particular area of medical concern and contains material found in publications issued by the National Institutes of Health and other agencies and associations. Nowhere else can general readers find this information conveniently collected, coordinated, and indexed in book form. Back and Neck Disorders Sourcebook, Fourth Edition Back and neck pain can vary from a mild, dull ache to persistent, severely disabling pain, affecting mobility and daily activities. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), approximately 80 percent of adults experience low-back pain (LBP) at some point in their lives. LBP stands as the second most common neurological ailment in the United States, following headaches. While back and neck disorders cause considerable suffering, new treatments, medications, exercise programs, and surgical advances offer hope to people with spinal concerns. Back and Neck Disorders Sourcebook, Fourth Edition provides information about disorders and injuries affecting the spinal column. These include fractures, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis (OA), scoliosis, spina bifida, spinal stenosis, and cancers occuring in the back and neck regions. The book describes proper spine function and provides suggestions for maintaining spinal health. For individuals dealing with back and neck problems, it offers helpful information about medications and rehabilitative therapies, and surgical techniques. In addition, a glossary and a directory of resources are provided for further help and information.