Back pain articles are all over the web on more sites than can be counted. While some sites present a full and complete picture of back pain conditions, the vast majority fall into some less desirable category. Many essays are written by people trying to sell patients on a specific treatment, product or miracle cure. These are usually disgustingly slanted and possibly even utter lies designed to sell, not help. Others are simply garbage writings trying to promote some crap website that is not even about back pain or one which just steals content from wikipedia or simply makes it up.
It is no coincidence that many care providers write articles to support their recommended treatments and in turn, make vast sums of money from interested patients. While there is nothing at all wrong with capitalism, even in the medical profession, there is some ethical problem with giving a potential patient an incomplete or misleading view of their condition and inflated expectations for recovery, just to profit financially.
I have a real problem with this.
Back Pain Articles Written by Doctors
I have read many articles written by doctors which give out antiquated and incorrect medical information and advice. The tone of the article is often frightening and pessimistic, warning the patient that dire consequences can come from pursuing any treatment other than the one recommended in the article. Of course the doctor-author just happens to specialize in that particular treatment. There is nothing wrong with trying to spark a patient’s interest in a particular therapy, but all attempts to provide an accurate picture of treatment options should be the goal of any good article.
There are enough examples of the nocebo effect which already exist in the medical back pain industry. The last thing a patient needs is another back pain article which sets the mood for additional fear and suffering. Doctors who use their medical degree as a fast track to wealth, selling any old crap therapy should have their medical license revoked and be banned from practicing medicine.
As a website owner, I have been approached on multiple occasions by doctors, chiropractors and therapists of less than reputable caliber trying to advertise their garbage products on my site. I flatly refused and even scolded a few of them for trying to take advantage of patients when they need help.
For those doctors who are reading this, you know who you are.
For all the doctors who write consistently good and honest articles to help patients; thank you.
Back Pain Articles Written by Patients
Articles written by patients often lack the polish and technical information provided by professional articles. However, they more than make up for it with their honest approach and real life experience that often comes through in every word.
No one really knows what it is like to suffer with back pain unless they have been through it themselves. You can not discount the value of first hand experience when it comes to discussing matters of health and disease, pain and relief.
When I started this website, my only goal was to provide information to knowledge-starved patients, such as myself, by providing a vast library of back pain articles written specifically for them. Any patient who reads my site will hopefully relate to the topics and the writing style, since we are all from the same background.
We exist in a place of shared symptoms, suffering, trials, victories and defeats on the battlefield of pain. Remember, I am not like one of you. I am one of you. I have devoted my life to helping you find relief, just as others have helped me to relieve my own torturous pain. For 18 years suffering with agonizing lumbar back pain, I would have killed to have a definitive resource available which might have helped me to answer all my unresolved back pain questions. It is my dream, and hopefully my reality, to bring you that very resource, now and forever. Right here.
My Back Pain Articles
The views I express are completely sincere and honest. My back pain articles never sell for anybody or anything I do not believe in. If I recommend something, it is because it has proven itself to me and thousands of others as a legitimate deal. I will also occasionally out any product or provider who I believe to be unethical, immoral or simply opportunistic. This is the least I can do to help you cut through all the bogus information out there.
I will listen to your feedback. I love to learn and will check out any of your recommendations. Your back pain stories continue to provide me with the very best research available anywhere, directly and impartially from the patient.
In summary, this page is a promise. I promise to never stop providing you, my fellow patients, my brothers and sisters, with everything I can find out in the field of back pain. It is a tough job, but completely worth doing.
I will never abandon you. We are cut from the same cloth and I have empathy for your pain.
I will never charge you to learn about back pain here. I do not want your money. If you want to buy my inexpensive books to help me pay the cost of hosting the site, that’s great. Thank you. If not, that’s great too. I am far more pleased if my writing can help you. This site is not a business to me. It is a labor of love and a gift to all of you.
As always, with much sincerity, Sensei Adam Rostocki, Editor-in-Chief
