Dear Fellow Back Pain Sufferer's - This web-site has been set-up as an alternative to the many other "corporate" health-related sites out there, whose restrictions and moderation limitations too greatly stifle the open exchange of valuable information between us fellow back pain sufferer's. Having visited numerous back pain sites in the past, it became clear to me that there was a great need for a forum that was free of advertising banners, attached browser "cookies", registration sign-up's, etc.

This site is completely non-profit, and is my way of giving back to the many people who have helped me in my ongoing struggle to resume a normal life - free of debilitating back pain. The warm, friendly & knowledgeable community of people who frequent this forum have become a second family to me, and together we are happy to welcome you!

My hope is that you will enjoy this "oasis" on the web and that it will teach you as much as I have learned about living a full, happy life as you search for the answers to the many questions you have about your own back pain.

Peace - Rick J.

Posting Guidelines: NO ADVERTISING - OF ANY KIND will be allowed on this message board. Anyone attempting to "spam" this board with advertisements will be permanently banned. This board will be monitored throughout the day & evening each & every day. Please do however, feel free to exchange information about medications, helpful web-sites, medical & surgical procedures, etc.

Be Courteous to other posters, and always remember that each of us is here looking for answers to our own individual back pain questions. Making connections with others who are suffering with the same problem(s) can be very empowering. Knowledge is power, and I can personally attest to the power of these forums to provide helpful new information along with much needed support.

Never rely solely on the information and/or opinions exchanged via messages on this board. Please also remember that what has worked for one person, may not be the same, or even appropriate for you. There is NO substitute for the speaking with your physician or personal healthcare professional about all associated risks, costs and options of the various medications and/or medical procedures mentioned herein.

No Profanity of Any Kind - Any posts containing profanity, explicit, obscene or vulgar language will be deleted immediately. Continued posts will result in a permanent ban from this message board. Also, posts that solicit or offer explicit or X-rated GIFs, JPEGs or other graphic files will be removed and the poster will be banned immediately.

Old posts will be archived once every month (around the 10th day of the following month) and can be accessed at the bottom of the message board. This is being done to conserve space on the current month's "active" board, so that the page will load quickly and efficiently on your screen.

Although these "archived" posts will not allow responses to them, they are a great resource for your questions, so I encourage you to check them out.

Live Forum Guidelines: The Live Forum/Chat module has been set-up as an added benefit to the main message board portion of this site. It allows people to communicate with one another in "real-time" (live), to ask questions, get answers, or just catch up on the latest news.

Courtesy and respect are paramount in the Live Forum! Please use this feature as it is intended, which is simply a way for our community members to come together and provide support for one another in "real time."

If there are any problems with the functionality of the Live Forum, or if anyone is not using it as intended, please e-mail me directly by clicking here.

Finally, I would like to personally thank each of you who visit and take the time out of your busy lives to contribute to this community - I fully realize that without all of you, this message board wouldn't exist! Enjoy it!

Peace - Rick J