What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Your Lower Back: Avoid the Pitfalls, Scams, Shysters, Con Men, Charlatans, and Quacks

by Bill Yancey

Easy to understand, entertaining explanation of the causes and treatments of back pain. The prevention of back pain and maintenance for the prevention of injury are detailed. Scams and bogus treatments to avoid are discussed. Written by a physician who wants your lower back to stop hurting and never hurt again, he demonstrates how to make your lower back feel better and how to avoid injury and re-injury. The best ways to recover from an injury are explained. Treatments available, including non-invasive, injections, and surgery are explained, showing what works, what doesn't and why. While reading this book, you need to remember two things. We outlive our backs and we overuse them. They were designed by evolution to last a lifetime. Unfortunately, that lifetime was one of a hominid hunter-gatherer who lived 35-40 years before he succumbed to disease, was caught in the open by a predator, or suffered a career-ending injury climbing a tree or a steep cliff. The human vertebral column filled its role admirably for 200,000 years. Social evolution, public health, modern society, and modern medicine changed our life style and lengthened our life span. We do things our ancestors would never have done (sit on our butts all day, for one). In addition, we live twice as long as they did. After age 40, it is probably a good idea to think of your spine the way an owner of a classic automobile thinks of his car. Given good care and attention, he can drive it daily for as long as he lives. He has to be willing to do the preventative maintenance and avoid putting it in danger. A classic automobile lasts longer if it was well taken care of when it was new, also. After a collision, it can be rebuilt, but it will never be quite the same.

Genres: Self Help, Health

280 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2011

About the author

Bill Yancey had the privilege of being the son of an air force officer and the grandson of an army officer. As a result, he lived all over the world, but never really grew up. He attended four high schools, a prep school, and five colleges. After bouncing out of an engineering curriculum, and spending time in Vietnam as a result, he finally obtained an undergraduate degree in general science from Virginia Tech in 1971. The Medical College of Virginia still regrets giving him an M.D. degree in 1976. He writes for his own entertainment, and hopes you see the humor in it, too.

Reviews

[Bev Walkling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book as I am currently awaiting back surgery for a spinal fusion. I was hoping to get better clarification of things from reading the book and in many respects I did. I am one of those people with a mess of things going wrong with my back. I have a nursing background and have done a lot of reading on the subject but I found Yancey had a way of breaking his information down into easy to understand sections. He delivered his information with a dose of humour which made the reading go more quickly and used simple diagrams to help even further with understanding.

Not all of my issues were addressed in the book, but enough were that I found it useful and I have come away with several nuggets to incorporate into my routine as well as lots to think about.

One drawback to the kindle version is that diagrams of exercises were not on the same page as explanations of the exercises and I think I would want to review them with my physio before taking them on. Yancey is clear that the book is NOT intended to replace medical advice and this is one area where I would definitely want input from my PT.

Some of the advice is geared towards dealing with the American medical system and avoiding expenses. It’s not so big an issue here in Canada but there is still good common sense with sound medical reasoning for the information given.

I have read several other back books (and got rid of them) and find this one to be more helpful in understanding the process behind the different types of back pain. I didn't really need the sections on how our backs evolved (though I didn't object to it from a creationist stance.) The book has certainly given me much food for thought. I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about prevention of lower lumbar back pain or if it’s too late for that, understanding what might be behind their back pain and being better prepared to deal with treatment options.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was informative and presented in a way that most people would be able to understand. Even though the advice may be too late for many with back pain, it is certainly a good source of information for anyone.

It was broken down into fairly easy to understand segments with some attempt at humor. Going through the treatment options would be important for someone who has never had back problems before.

[Beverly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book free from Goodreads Free Reads Giveaway. I have lower back pain, so I was intrigued by the title. The book has a lot of discussion of anatomy. There were a few nuggets of advice that I found helpful. I appreciated the explanation of various medical tests and treatments.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of "What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Your Lower Back" by Bill Yancey, M.D., through the Goodreads Giveaway Contest. When I saw this book listed I was very intrigued. For someone who has suffered low back pain , neck pain,sciatica and numbness down one side of the body, followed by neck surgery, I can only say, Where were you when I needed you? Back in 2003, I had surgery for "Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion at C5-6 and C6-7 with allograft bone graft and anterior instrumented plating ." In other words , I got rid of the electricity in my body, and now have a metal plate and four screws in my neck. Amazing what miracles they can do. My problem , had been the result of herniated discs in my neck and low back...I never had the low back surgery, but work through it.

In this novel, Bill Yancey has presented scientific evidence based on thirty years of medical practice. I wish his book had been around when I needed it. This book is easy to understand, explaining the causes and treatments of back pain, all done with some humor and lots of helpful diagrams. He stresses the importance and prevention of back pain and maintenance for the prevention of injury. Scams and bogus treatments to avoid are discussed. He also discusses treatments available, pros and cons.

I can only say, when someone suffers from low back pain as myself, you learn what works and what doesn't. I truly feel that this book, is a very valuable tool for understanding and treating this medical problem. Definitely check it out.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Goodreads First Reads. I found the book very interesting. The information provided about the history/evolution of the spine, and how nerves, tendons, ligaments, muscles and the rest work can be a bit dry, but the author Dr. Yancey presented the information with humor, and by breaking the information down into bits/units. Back pain can be debilitating his explanation of how the body works made it easier to understanding the process of how injuries occur, their treatment and how they heal.

I will be passing the book onto my daughter to read who unfortunately suffers from lower back pain.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book on back pain. For me the highlights were on the alternate forms of handling pain and promoting healing with exercise and mind techniques. The downside of this one was that at the end I didn't really know what to do next. There were a lot of good information and suggestions, but I would have appreciated a section on creating an overall treatment plan. I know, I know, I have to see my doctor for that... (not convinced.)

[Larry L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a serious back injury in 1984. Sure wish I had read this book in the 80s. It gives a lot of common sense advice from an M.D. that avoids the latest fads. That being said, every patient is different and should not use this book to try and practice medicine on himself if the problem doesn't resolve itself in a reasonable period of time.