Modern medicine is capable of amazing things: a course of pills can cure diseases that previously were fatal; surgeons can transplant organs, replace diseased joints and perform complicated keyhole surgery. Yet many people increasingly feel let down by medical science and are looking to alternative, or complementary therapies, to safeguard their health....

There are a number of things you can do after back surgery to become fit for normal life again. Post-back surgery treatment, from an occupational therapist or sports injuries therapist, can be as important as the back surgery itself. Immediately after your operation, you will be taken from the operating theater to a recovery room or high-level care unit, where you will stay until the doctors feel your condition is stable. You will then be taken back to your ward on a trolley. You will be given painkillers to help relieve pain after the back surgery. Doctors and nurses will be keen to get you walking as soon as possible, since it is now well known that moderate exercise speeds healing and improves health.....

The most common cause of back pain is skeletal problems -problems affecting all the tissues of the spine other than muscles or nerves. If, like many people, you are not as fit as you could be, you run more risk of injury because your muscles will not be able to provide support when it is most needed.......

Once you have decided on a therapy to try to relieve your back pain, the next step is to find a reliable practitioner. Probably the best way to do this is to ask around and get personal recommendation from friends or your doctor. A personal recommendation is often the best way of finding a reliable practitioner. Local health-food shops are often a goldmine of information about complementary practitioners in the area, as are pharmacies. Many have notice boards advertising various therapies but ask the staff as well, since many of the better known practitioners do not need to advertise.....

Unlike its more active cousin, t'ai chi, qigong is unlikely to physically strengthen weak or damaged muscles and ligaments, but it can benefit back-pain sufferers in other less direct, but often just as effective, ways. As back pain can be a result of chronic muscular tension, qigong is an excellent method of combating stress and promoting both mental and physical relaxation. Regular practice can help prevent a recurrence of the back pain problem. Back pain can also be a symptom of illness or chronic disorder elsewhere in the body. Qigong is reputed to have a beneficial effect on various chronic conditions, especially those that involve dysfunction of the immune system....

Commonly recommended for the treatment of back pain problems, osteopathy has become accepted by mainstream medicine to such an extent that is no longer considered an "alternative" therapy. In the United States in particular, osteopaths have the same professional status as medical doctors. In addition, surveys of user satisfaction with complementary therapies invariably put osteopathy and chiropractic top of the list. In fact, these therapies are now almost wholly embraced by conventional practitioners as the most effective treatments for back pain.

When you first consult your family doctor about your back pain, he or she will probably spend a few minutes asking you about your specific symptoms as well your general state of health.The doctor will then examine you and reach a preliminary diagnosis. If the doctor rules out the likelihood of any serious illness or structural problem he or she will probably advise you to keep active and may prescribe one or more of the following types of drugs: painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs and/or muscle relaxants and, possibly, antidepressants......

According to Chinese medicine, qi flows through the body along 14 main channels, or meridians. The yin and yang energies are in a state of constant flux, ebbing and flowing in order to maintain balance and harmony. If these energies become imbalanced or if their flow is blocked in any way, the result can be ill-health and pain. The meridians do not follow anatomical pathways as recognized by Western medical science but, according to Chinese medicine, each meridian has an effect on a specific organ or body system. Spread along the 14 meridians are more than 350 points at which it is possible to affect the flow of qi. In both acupressure and acupuncture these points are manipulated, either by pressure with the hands or by needles, to improve the balance and flow of qi....

There are several basic rules about posture and stance that are followed in all t'ai chi movements. The spine should be straight, the head upright and the shoulders relaxed - this fits well with the general rules on good posture. According to the theory, the body's center, or dan tien, is located just below the navel and inward toward the spine. Those learning t'ai chi are encouraged to visualize this as the center of their weight and breathing and to think of all movements as starting from here. The elbows and knees are never locked straight but kept slightly flexed during all the movements....