Back and Neck Pain Costs Climb Rapidly

Back and neck problems are among the most commonly encountered symptoms in clinical practice. In 2002, an estimated 59 million US adults, or approximately 26% of the adult population, self-reported back pain in the previous 3 months, and 30.1 million US adults, or about 14% of the adult population, self-reported neck pain in the same period, according to a study by Martin and colleagues published in the February 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Low back pain alone accounted for 2% of all physician office visits; only routine examinations, diabetes, and hypertension resulted in more office visits.