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Abstract

Painful disorders of the spine are among our most common medical complaints. Over a lifetime, 60–80 % of adults experience at least one significant episode of back pain. In a single year, 15–20 % will have back pain, and 2–5 % of the entire population will seek medical attention for back pain. Low back pain has been estimated as the fifth leading cause of all medical visits and the second leading cause of symptom-related medical visits. In the United States, the estimated annual cost of back pain is $20 billion to $50 billion. In particular, low back pain is one of the most important factors in medical costs and disability.

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Correspondence to John C. Keel M.D. .

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Keel, J.C., Brenner, G.J. (2013). Functional Anatomy and Imaging of the Spine. In: Deer, T., et al. Comprehensive Treatment of Chronic Pain by Medical, Interventional, and Integrative Approaches. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1560-2_22

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