Living Well with Back Pain: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know » (1ST)

Robert B. Winter, MD, is one of the founders of the Twin Cities Spine Center, and currently serves as a research consultant there. He is a clinical professor in the University of Minnesota Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

If you're one of the millions of Americans suffering from back pain, Robert B. Winter, MD, and Marilyn L. Bach, PhD, have the answers and knowledge you need to effectively manage your condition. In Living Well with Back Pain, Winter and Bach draw on an extensive network of experts to bring you the latest information on:

• Diagnosing—and even eliminating—the problem
• Exercise programs and over-the-counter drug treatments
• Choosing the right medical practitioner
• When surgery and other invasive procedures are not needed

The authors are affiliated with an internationally renowned back treatment center, the Twin Cities Spine Center, which has treated tens of thousands of back pain sufferers. Their expertise and up-to-the-minute knowledge make this the most comprehensive, current, and accessible back pain book available.

Library Journal

With similar but contrasting approaches to back pain, these books identify back problems, evaluate various treatments, and suggest exercises for alleviating discomfort. Winter (orthopedic surgery, Univ. of Minnesota) and Bach (coauthor, ShapeWalking: Six Easy Steps to Your Best Body) begin by sharing remedies they claim should help 80 percent of back pain sufferers if done correctly. They proceed to a brief discussion of the causes of back pain and an evidence-based evaluation of surgical and nonsurgical treatments. A great deal of the book describes how to negotiate the medical system, e.g., how to choose the right medical providers and treatments and how to deal with physical therapists and insurance companies. Living Well offers excellent advice on doing your own research and becoming a strong self-advocate. A set of appendixes includes an annotated bibliography of books and web sites, a glossary, and a list of references. Chiropractor Silverman goes into greater detail regarding the causes of back and neck pain (Winter and Bach do not cover the neck in their evaluations) and includes a chapter on the healthy spine. He cites various causes of back pain-cultural, muscle, disk, and joint-discussing treatments and preventative measures. According to Silverman, psychological factors are more accurate in predicting cases of lower back pain than physical ones. His book features a chapter of success stories, information on myths and misconceptions, helpful "Think Back" sections concisely summarizing each chapter, and a bibliography. Living Well excels at describing what back pain sufferers can do to alleviate existing pain and how to navigate the healthcare system when a condition warrants medical treatment. Miraculous Back helps in understanding the physical and cultural causes of back pain and underscores prevention over treatment. Both books are recommended.-Elaine M. Lasda Bergman, Healthcare Assn. of New York State, Rensselaer Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.