Though it is difficult to get exact numbers, researchers believe that close to 70 million North Americans suffer form some form of back pain. According to some sources, back pain is the second most common form of pain, in line right behind headaches. Four out of five adults will experience some form of back pain in their lifetime. Low back pain is ranked second only to the common cold as the leading cause of lost work days with people 45 years and younger. It is a large and growing health concern, and if you are one of the millions of North Americans suffering with back pain, you should be aware of the following:

Back pain is usually believed to be caused by an injury, improper posture, a lack of exercise and/or obesity. While these are often the source, one commonly overlooked diagnosis is arthritis.

Many people, overlooking the “arthritis factor”, simply take pain-killers and wait for the pain to go away. This approach is not recommended when arthritis is at the root of your back pain, because it could be potentially damaging. Over-the-counter pain-killers offer only relief from the symptoms of your pain. They do nothing to help the body heal itself. So, while they may offer temporary relief, the damage from arthritis will continue.

Additionally, many people are now concerned about the side-effects from the prolonged usage of over-the-counter and prescription pain-killers. A more holistic approach, using ingredients such as those found in the LaKOTA Joint Care Formula or the LaKOTA Rheumatoid-Osteo Formula (see Cartilage Repair) , can help provide safe, effective pain relief and the primary cartilage building blocks that the body uses to help heal, repair and prevent degeneration of cartilage.