Harvard Health Blog

The psychology of low back pain

POSTED APRIL 25, 2016, 9:30 AM
Srini Pillay, MD, Contributor

Over 80% of people will experience an episode of low back pain at some point in their lives. The most common reasons for low back pain are disc injuries, sciatica, lifting heavy objects, or some other non-specific back injury. But although back pain is incredibly common, not all people respond in the same way to this often-disabling condition. Two people with the same level of pain may have differing responses due in part to different psychological attitudes and outlooks.

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Get your copy of Pain Relief

Pain relief takes many forms. This Special Health Report looks beyond the standard approaches of drugs and surgery and explores alternate pain-relief strategies, from acupuncture and mind-body therapies to chiropractic medicine, physical and occupational therapies, herbal remedies, mindfulness meditation, and music therapy among others. The report also provides specific treatments for 10 common pain conditions.

Medical news: A case for skepticism

POSTED APRIL 22, 2016, 9:00 AM
Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publications

When you read medical news, do you ever get drawn in by the headline only to find the details deliver something quite different (or less) than expected? Or do the findings sound so dramatic that you wonder whether the results might be exaggerated or misleading? If you answered yes, I'm with you.

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Pain Relief

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•	Pain and its perception
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•	Pain relief techniques
•	10 common types of pain and how to relieve them
•	Exercises to reduce pain
•	... and more!