The Back Book (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book) - Softcover

Gokaslan MD, Ziya L.; Riley III MD, Lee Hunter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0801890438 ISBN 13: 9780801890437

Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009

Synopsis

Eighty percent of Americans experience back pain in varying degrees at some point in their lives. In fact, back pain is second only to the common cold as a reason why people visit a doctor.

In The Back Book, Johns Hopkins surgeons Ziya L. Gokaslan and Lee Hunter Riley explain the causes and complexities of back pain and the various paths to diagnosis and treatment. Stressing the importance of individualized treatment, they discuss the process of establishing a treatment plan that is acceptable to the person with pain as well as to the attending physician. They also:

• lay out reasonable expectations for surgical and nonsurgical treatment
• illuminate the possibilities, risks, and limitations of back surgery
• describe how to select a surgeon and the importance of choosing the right one

Informative and reassuring, The Back Book provides readers with the knowledge they need to understand their back pain and get started on the route to relief.

About this title

About the Authors

Ziya L. Gokaslan, M.D., is the director of the Neurosurgical Spine Program and vice chairman of the department of neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins University, where he is also the Donlin M. Long Professor and a professor of neurosurgery, oncology, and orthopaedic surgery.

Lee Hunter Riley III, M.D., is the director of the Orthopaedic Spine Division and an associate professor of orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins University.

From the Back Cover

The authoritative one-stop resource for understanding back pain and treatment, including:

• An overview of the anatomy of the back: bones and joints, muscles and ligaments, the spinal cord and nerves
• An explanation of the most common causes of back pain and how to avoid or minimize them
• A tour of the diagnostic process, including x-rays, MRIs, and other tests and studies
• A comprehensive guide to nonsurgical pain management, including a chapter devoted to physical therapy
• Advice about how to decide whether surgery is right for you and which surgical option is most appropriate
• An explanation of what back surgery involves and recommendations to help with a healthy recovery
• Tips on how to keep your back strong and healthy throughout your life

From causes to diagnosis to treatment, The Back Book is a comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide for people with back pain.

From the Inside Flap

The authoritative one-stop resource for understanding back pain and treatment, including:

- An overview of the anatomy of the back: bones and joints, muscles and ligaments, the spinal cord and nerves
- An explanation of the most common causes of back pain and how to avoid or minimize them
- A tour of the diagnostic process, including x-rays, MRIs, and other tests and studies
- A comprehensive guide to nonsurgical pain management, including a chapter devoted to physical therapy
- Advice about how to decide whether surgery is right for you and which surgical option is most appropriate
- An explanation of what back surgery involves and recommendations to help with a healthy recovery
- Tips on how to keep your back strong and healthy throughout your life

From causes to diagnosis to treatment, The Back Book is a comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide for people with back pain.

-- "Choice"

Edition details

• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801890438
• ISBN 13: 9780801890437
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Suk BSc BMC Ian
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 168