(MindBodyScience.news) A major study conducted by the Mayo Clinic recently examined more than 140,000 patients between 2005 and 2009 to find out why people went to see a doctor. And while you might be tempted to believe that heart disease and cancer would top the list, you’d be mistaken because,  believe it or not, skin disorders were number one – followed by physical pain, usually caused by osteoarthritis or back pain.

The thing is, many of these health problems are treatable, if not completely avoidable, without the need for toxic medications or risky surgical procedures. Yet, sadly, most folks exposed to conventional medicine are never provided effective holistic solutions for their health problems.

Physical pain is a big moneymaker for the pharmaceutical industry

In the United States alone, the vast majority of the adult population experiences some form of physical pain – especially back pain – at a total cost to society of $560 – $635 billion, every year. This staggering figure equates to about $2,000 for everyone living in the U.S. To make matters worse, Western medicine continues to push highly addictive substances like oxycodone or hydrocodone – which are found in drugs like OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin and Lortab – while at the same time never addressing the true cause of physical pain.

And this may surprise you. Did you know that back pain is the leading cause of disability in Americans under 45 years of age? Those that suffer with low back pain are often in poor physical (and emotional) health. Of course, this leads to obesity and depression – which only increases the profits of the drug makers. This pattern must stop.

As an expert in exercise science, I have literally seen thousands of people fully recover from painful situations without the need for drugs or surgery. Good (unprocessed) foods and lifestyle habits can reduce inflammation, restore range of motion, improve blood circulation and eliminate the cause of pain – quickly and effectively.

Is your pain connected to your mental attitude or emotions?

If the standard medical tests, like an X-ray or MRI, do NOT reveal a serious structural problem, then you are most likely experiencing “Mind Body Syndrome” (MBS) or “Tension Myositis Syndrome” (TMS). In other words, if there is no evidence of nerve damage, change in muscle strength or sensation in the arms or legs – you probably have MBS/TMS. So, you may be wondering, “Why should I get an MRI?”

Eugene Carragee, MD, of the Stanford University School of Medicine has said that “MRI’s should be used to rule out infections, cancer or fractures; but patients (and doctors) should expect to find common degenerative changes.” Just remember, MRIs are NOT often useful predictors of low back pain or the solution.

A warning for you: Surgeons often suggest back or neck surgery when ineffective “conservative measures” (heat, ice, physical therapy or massage) have failed. But most conventionally trained surgeons fail to appreciate that, in many cases, neck and back pain, migraine and repetitive stress injuries can occur as a result of repressed (harmful) emotions.

On the next NaturalNews Talk Hour, Jonathan Landsman and Dr. David Hanscom talk about the underlying mental/emotional issues surrounding chronic pain. So, before you schedule a surgical procedure – you may want to hear this program, which offers highly effective (non-invasive) holistic solutions for chronic pain.

Reporting by Jonathan Landsman, NaturalNews.com.

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