Spinal tap

Hassan, a 38-year-old marketing manager, is talking about his first bout with lower back pain. “It was so bad, I could hardly step off the sidewalk,” he said. “I tried everything. I did stretching and when that didn’t work I rested. I used Deep Heat on the afflicted area. I even thought I had cancer when I diagnosed my self on the internet,” he laughed. “In the end, I went to the pharmacy and the woman gave me muscle relaxants. They worked, but they played havoc with my stomach." Hassan has since pinpointed the reason for his pain. “It was stress related. I would feel it coming back if I started to feel tense or anxious. It was like a wave lapping me on the beach, getting closer and closer. I would have to lie down and really relax for the sensation to go away.” More than 80% of the