Book excerpt: Are you one of the millions of people who suffer from low back pain? While it is important that patients with low back pain educate themselves about the lower back, the information available is often more confusing than it is helpful. A single source of information should not be taken as the only truth, as this can lead to misconceptions and misunderstandings in the diagnosis and treatment of low back pain. According to author Mario A. Gutierrez, MD, not all patients with low back pain are the same, and not all back conditions have a common cause. Dr. Gutierrez draws on more than twenty years of neurosurgery experience and direct patient contact to guide back pain sufferers in their quest for reliable information and diagnosis with topics such as: Causes of low back pain Current treatments for low back pain Low back surgery options Treatment myths Rehabilitation Health insurance/disability Prevention Whether you're a patient seeking answers, an aspiring medical professional, or a practicing physician, Understanding Low Back Pain is a must-have reference, complete with medical terminology, a short medical glossary, and frequently used medical abbreviations.