Among ailments, only common cold is more common. Over course of our lives, four out of five of us will suffer from back pain, and more than a quarter of us will miss work because of it. Tremendous sums of money are spent on back pain. In U.S. alone, it eats up $16 billion dollars each year for treatment and compensation for missed work.

All that pain and expense is so unnecessary. As is true for many, if not most, ailments, prevention is far better than a cure.

As many as half of all back problems are caused by improper lifting. You've heard it before, but I'll repeat it anyway: When you lift, don't bend over. Keep your back straight and lower yourself by bending you knees. If object is heavy, don't be a hero. Get help! (Is it any wonder that males 20 to 24 years old are most likely to hurt their backs?)

If you work at a job that stresses your back--medical work, warehousing, mechanical occupations, and garbage collection are top contenders--you may need to do more than just practice good lifting technique. Talk to your employer about changing way you do your job to reduce stress on your back. Companies don't want disability payments any more than you want a bum back.

Treatment of back problems is surprisingly simple. Although many people think of spine as a complex and fragile collection of bones and mysterious tissues that form weak link in human anatomy, most cases of back pain are actually caused by muscle strain. For that reason, medical treatment usually isn't called for. Unless pain continues to worsen, you can do as much as your doctor to help you feel better.

The basic approach to do-it-yourself treatment is to take aspirin or ibuprofen, spend a day or two in bed (more probably won't help and may hinder recovery), and return to activity slowly. Some other things that may help include an ice pack for first 48 hours and heat thereafter, a gentle massage, and getting some exercise as soon as possible. You'll also do better if you avoid sitting for long periods and use a a chair with a firm, straight back when you do have to sit.

Finally, just as you can build strong muscles in your arms, you can build a stronger, more injury-resistant back. Talk to a trainer at a local fitness center about appropriate exercises, or read a book that demonstrates exercises for people with back pain. It may be best way to beat a back attack.

Here some exercise tips:

Physiotherapists are now using machines instead of their hands. Doctors use machines to scan bodies and no longer rely on their hands for diagnosis. People have forgotten how to hug one another. They now shake hands. They walk past one another in streets and do not even greet each other.

Electric blankets are used to keep warm in bed - human arms have become redundant. Healing takes place through an exchange of human energies and not through an exchange of electricity.

There is sufficient evidence that over-exposure to electricity increases risk of cancer. Even living near high voltage pylons is reputed to deplete immune system.