Back pain is almost as common as, well, the common cold.
Until now, patients with debilitating back pain might have been diagnosed with a torn disc and advised to have corrective surgery. But a new Stanford study suggests that the problem may be as much mental as it is physical. Researchers found that torn discs are common even in people who have no trouble twisting, turning and bending. But these people don't experience symptoms. Patients with severe, ongoing pain were much more likely to be struggling with emotional problems.