Back pain is second only to cancer as a cause of long term disability. This health problem is damaging to individuals and costly to society. And we don't have much in our arsenal that is effective at treating it. This week, we discuss the difference between acute and chronic back pain with regard to treatment and outcomes. We also discuss the role of surgery, medications, alternative therapies, and some interesting new research on what helps resolve chronic back pain. Resources: Research on efficacy of epidural steroid injections for back pain Trends in spinal fusion surgery American College of Physicians Guidelines for the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain