Understanding back pain (Updated [ed.])

Sooner or later almost everyone suffers an episode of back pain.

Usually it is an unpleasant, awkward but not desperately serious problem.

Occasionally there may be a more serious underlying cause.

Back pain is a major and increasing health problem and is now the principal cause of absence from work.

This booklet aims to show you how the back works, what goes wrong, why back problems arise, how they are treated and to give some indication of when further investigations and specialised help are necessary.