The $100B per year back pain industry is mostly a hoax
The thing is, when you&#x27;ve seen one back problem, you&#x27;ve see one back problem.<p>The spine is a maddeningly complex assembly of bone, nerves, cartilage, articular surfaces, vasculature, packed tightly, subjected to immense forces, and articulable is many directions. It is a miracle of evolutionary engineering and a miserable failure. We needed to crawl longer before we stood up and walked as a species.<p>I have been through 2 spinal fusion surgeries. First, L4-L5, L5-S1. Then L2-L3, L3-L4. One surgery was nine hours the other was eight. Recovery was approximately 1 year for each surgery to complete return to maximum function. It was the hardest thing I&#x27;ve ever done. And news of the need for a second surgery almost crushed me.<p>But...<p>I am virtually pain free for 3 years now. My activities are virtually unlimited. No boxing. No golf. Oh boo hoo. I can hike, scuba dive and travel.<p>Your mileage may vary, but the real question is why? The quality of both surgeons and diagnosticians varies widely across institutions and geography. I am fortunate that I live in a city with the best orthopedic hospital in the US and my surgeon is world renowned in the area of spinal surgery.<p>It took me ten plus years to get the right diagnosis and find the right clinicians but when I did they repaired my spine to provide me maximum function and pain relief but it is not a new spine. It is never like new. But it&#x27;ll do what I need it to do.<p>For anyone in pain. I hope and pray you are relieved of it. Search for the professionals who really know what the fuck their doing and GET WELL!!! Be a zealous and merciless advocate for your own healthcare.