In the United States, more than 26 million people between the ages of 20 and 64 experience some kind of back pain often. In fact, lower back pain is the most common cause of missed work and job related disability in the country. As a result, more than 600,000 people elect to have back surgery every year with the hope that they will be able to solve any problems and alleviate pain that they are experience. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that even the best spine doctor will not be able to guarantee that, after surgery, patients will be pain free forever. In fact, talented spinal surgeons might be unable to predict certain problems, like failed back syndrome, that could arise after surgery.

After someone hurts their back, they are more likely to have more back issues in the future. Unfortunately, if one area of the back is not at full strength, it will put more stress on other areas, causing more pain and damage, so getting a problem fixed quickly is always a good idea. But, unfortunately, the reality of even minimally invasive spine surgery is that it alters the structure of the back, and it can be impossible to tell if scar tissue or other consequences will cause pain in the future.

If an individual is concerned about the potential consequences of surgery, like failed back syndrome, they might want to think about alternative treatments. In some cases, a chiropractor will be able to use spinal manipulation, which they refer to as a spinal or chiropractic adjustment and is the most popular treatment that patients receive. Alternatives to surgery like this can be great for individuals who are experiencing pain, but have a doctor who is unable to guarantee that a surgery will completely eliminate it.

More often than not, back pain will impact adults. However, there are certain conditions that could cause kids and adolescents to experience problems. In adolescents, especially athletes, spondylolysis, a small stress fracture in the fifth lumbar vertebrae, is one of the most common causes of pain. Surgery is not usually a good option for individuals of that age, but they will want to receive some treatments in order to stay healthy and maintain an active lifestyle. The right treatments could also go a long way towards helping adolescents avoid other problems later on.