Expectations of Professional Treatment
Medical treatment options for back pain are limited because there is usually no injury or abnormality to treat. A radiologic examination (X rays) of a person with back pain may show some vertebrae that are not lined up correctly (usually because of poor posture) or some bulging or ruptured (herniated) disks. Previously, these findings were interpreted as a cause of the pain or, at the very least, as something to treat. However, X rays of similar people with no back pain at all usually show the same characteristics equally as often. Thus, routine back X rays offer little help in identifying those people who have an illness or injury that will benefit from prompt medical attention. Even if the results of a medical examination indicate a herniated vertebral disk, most likely recovery will occur without surgery.
