Back and Neck Disorders Sourcebook, 4th Ed.

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 occurring 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.

Part 1: Understanding Back and Neck Problems offers information about the anatomy and function of the spine, provides an overview of back and neck pain, explains the concept of neutral spine posture, and discusses the effect of aging on the spine. It also covers an overview of spinal cord injuries and paralysis in the United States, along with the prevalence of back and limb pain in adults and the incidence of low-back pain (LBP) among the working population.

Part 2: Acute Injuries to the Back and Neck describes the spinal cord and acute neck injuries, along with herniated disc, thoracic and lumbar spine fractures, and sports-related spine injuries.

Part 3: Chronic Conditions Linked to the Back and Neck provides information about spinal deformities such as kyphosis, lordosis, and scoliosis. It also includes an overview of inflammatory joint diseases of the spine, intervertebral disc disorders, spinal stenosis, cauda equina syndrome (CES), and other musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affecting the spine and neck.

Part 4: Medical and Surgical Interventions for Neck and Spinal Disorders includes chapters on spinal disorders, such as neck surgery, lumbar spinal surgery, spinal fusion surgery, and bone grafting. It explains complementary therapies for low-back pain (LBP) and spinal cord injuries, along with their diagnosis and treatments.

Part 5: Preventing Back and Neck Problems explains mastering proper body mechanics for spinal health, approaches to managing acute LBP, and dealing with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). It provides workplace exercises to maintain a healthy back and information related to ergonomics safety for drivers, kids’ backpacks, and managing pregnancy-related back pain.

Part 6: Additional Help and Information includes a glossary of terms related to back and neck health and a directory of organizations providing more information about back and neck care.