If you've never had reason to say, "Oh, my aching back!" count yourself among the fortunate few.  Fully seven out of every ten people will endure back pain at some time in their lives.  For most, the problem will clear up in a few weeks or less.  Nonetheless, back pain is one of the most common afflictions in our society, responsible for millions of lost work hours and millions in health care expenditures – not to mention its disruptive impact on one's day-to-day life.

In this episode of Second Opinion, a panel of orthopaedic experts and others familiar with the ailment come together to explore the symptoms, causes and treatments of back pain.  Along the way, they discuss such key issues as:

• How much is known about the causes of back pain?
• When is a visit to the doctor advisable, and when will self-care measures work?
• Which treatments are effective and which are not?
• What distinguishes typical back pain from more serious back problems?
• Can low back pain be avoided?

A majority of people between the ages of 35 and 60 experience back pain, and most of those episodes affect the lumbar – or lower – back.  (The development of back pain in younger or older people might indicate a different, more serious problem.)  It is the most common reason people under 45 must limit their activity, and the second most common reason people visit the doctor (colds/flu is the first).  The ailment is termed "acute" when it is present fewer than 12 weeks, and "chronic" when it lingers for longer periods of time.

Up to 90 percent of cases can't be traced to a specific illness or pathology, but there are common risk factors. Sometimes back pain develops for no apparent reason at all.  In physical exams and x-rays, doctors may or may not find a specific change or condition in the back that correlates with the patient's symptoms.

The good news is that two out of three people who develop back pain recover within weeks.  Nine out of 10 are back to full activity within two months.  For some people with back pain, however, their lives are never the same.  Chances are, a patient who has been out of work for two years likely will never return to full-time status.  Many chronic sufferers simply learn to live with the pain.  They never achieve the mobility and ability to function normally that they once enjoyed.  Treatment moves from curing the condition to minimizing symptoms.