Annotation General and emergency physicians, orthopedic surgeons in training, rheumatologists, radiologists. If it were a disease, back pain would be called an epidemic. At least 5 million people will consult their doctor about back pain this year. The total costs to the UK alone are estimated at 12 billion/year. This book details the common conditions that cause back pain and outlines a methodology for the diagnosis, investigation, and treatment of these conditions.