May 24, 2013 Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb: When I didn't so 'humbly disagree' Caroline B. Glick: Thank you, Hafez al-Assad Diana West: From the Brooklyn Bridge to London Morgan Housel: Why spotting bubbles is so much harder than you think Environmental Nutrition editors: NuVal labeling to the rescue? Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Memorial Day: Jews Serving and KIA in War on Terror; Liberace Bio-Pic; Jew Wins "Survivor"; Shalom, Dr. Brothers; More The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: HIDE THESE FROZEN TREATS FROM THE KIDDIES!: Sangria pops; Irish cream pudding pops; mango Lassi pops May 22, 2013 John Thorne: They launched the 'Arab Spring' but now yearn for the good old days of a strongman John Rosemond: 'Disciplinary math' adds up to parental successl Warren Richey: Are prayers before public meetings OK? Supreme Court to decide Rick Montgomery: Use of ADHD drugs as study aid raises concern on campuses Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D.: 6 convincing reasons you should keep carbs in your diet Eoin O'Carroll: Scientists examine nothing, find something The Kosher Gourmet by Carole Kotkin: This soup is made from one of the great pleasures of spring: A wonderful pairing of rosy color and earthy tang May 20, 2013 Richard A. Serrano: Is Meir Kahane's assassin now a changed man? 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Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church Emily Alpert: Recession dragged down birth rates for less-educated women Morgan Housel: The deep downside of home ownership Peter Teffer: Will Dutch police soon be stalking cybercriminals on your computer? Heidi McIndoo, M.S., R.D.: Meatless 'meat' can have its own set of problems The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Celebrate! This must-try appetizer is delicate yet has depth of flavor: Corn-Leek Cakes with Caviar, Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche May 10, 2013 Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be Caroline B. Glick: The dirty little secret about Israel's Arabs Mona Charen: Hawking's Moral Calculus: The man and the movement he embraces Morgan Housel: The biggest retirement myth ever told Sandi Doughton: Eyes may provide new insight into brain problems Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : The Great Gatsby's Jewish Ties; Jews in the "Time 100 list" List; People's Most Beautiful Women The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: A sweet-hot meal: Pear salsa spices up salmon May 8, 2013 Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad Amanda Paulson: Study reveals sad truths about community colleges 'Garbage man' in cells could extend life Harvard Health Letters: Evidence weak that zinc, echinacea are beneficial The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility May 6, 2013 Edmund Sanders and Patrick J. McDonnell: Think Israel's objective in Syria is to weaken Assad or embolden the rebels? Think again Brian Bennett: Israeli airstrikes may show weakness in Syrian defense Michael Ollove: Millions of ex-felons, parolees and those on probation are about to be entitled to tax-payer paid health coverage Karen Kaplan: Most men can skip PSA test for prostate cancer, urologists say Kimberly Lankford: How to track down a lost life insurance policy Dream of Mars exploration achievable, experts say The Kosher Gourmet by Susan M. Selasky: EGGPLANT WRAPS are an easy, sumptuous and scrumptious meal May 3, 2013 Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Human Courage and the Unavoidable, Disturbing Text Steven Emerson: Attorney General Fights CAIR in Court, Lauds it in Public Mediterranean diet helps beat dementia: study Harvard Health Letters: When to be screened for a hearing problem Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Iron Man's Jewish Connections; Marc Maron's New TV Show; Martin Landau Grows Up with Israel; Shalom, Allan Arbus The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: A sweet surprise for Mother's Day dessert May 1, 2013 Jonathan Rosenblum: An Improbable Journey to Orthodoxy Jonathan Tobin: Blame Obama, Not Israel for Syria Push Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell Halena M. 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Jewish World Review Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Surgery for low back pain? Not so quick By Michelle Clarke, M.D. Explore treatment options JewishWorldReview.com | DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What treatment options are available for low back pain? Who's a good candidate for surgery? ANSWER: A variety of treatments are available for low back pain. In most cases, back pain is best managed without surgery. That's because research has shown surgery to be effective in relieving back pain for only a very small group of patients. Back pain is common. About 80 percent of people have back pain at some point in their lives that's strong enough to make them seek medical care. Back pain is one of the most common reasons for going to a hospital emergency department. Fortunately, with home treatment and rest, many cases of back pain get better within a few weeks without any long-term problems. Taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug -- such as ibuprofen or naproxen -- or other over-the-counter pain medications, applying heat and/or ice to the painful area along with rest, can often effectively get rid of back pain. FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO INFLUENTIAL NEWSLETTER Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". In addition to INSPIRING stories, HUNDREDS of columnists and cartoonists regularly appear. Sign up for the daily update. It's free. Just click here. If low back pain does not go away after several weeks despite these remedies, see a doctor to rule out a serious underlying problem. If possible, make an appointment with a specialist who has expertise in spine care. Many academic medical centers have spine clinics or pain centers that specialize in nonsurgical treatment for low back pain. These clinics are a good place to start when looking for treatment of low back pain that lasts. Treatment for chronic low back pain often involves the same home remedies mentioned earlier, as well as physical therapy and exercises. In addition, if over-the-counter pain relievers are not enough to help with low back pain, a prescription muscle relaxant may be useful, as well as additional prescription pain medications. In some cases, when other measures do not get rid of pain, your doctor may recommend an injection of cortisone -- an anti-inflammatory medication -- into the space around the spinal nerve roots or spinal joints to help lessen inflammation and decrease pain. For most people with low back pain, these nonsurgical therapies will provide the best, longest-lasting pain relief. If your doctor suspects that a structural problem in the spine may be the source of your low back pain, tests such as plain X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT) scans and special spine injections can be used to determine the source of pain and to help predict how helpful spine surgery is likely to be. If tests show that surgery may be appropriate, spine surgery for low back pain often involves either joining two vertebrae together in a procedure known as spinal fusion, or removing a spinal disk and replacing it with an artificial one. But the exact type of surgery depends on the cause of the pain. Even when an individual is a good candidate for surgery to treat low back pain, the outcomes following surgery are only moderately encouraging at best. In addition, spine surgery requires significant recovery time. With these factors in mind, people considering surgery for low back pain should carefully discuss the risks and benefits with their health care team before deciding to proceed. Overall, the best thing you can do for low back pain is take care of your back. Regular exercise that strengthens your core by working the back, stomach and flank muscles can help build back strength and flexibility, lowering your risk of injury. Maintaining a healthy weight can help prevent back pain by reducing the overall load on your back. Using proper body mechanics when you sit, stand and lift may also prevent back problems. -- Michelle Clarke, M.D., Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Interested in a private Judaic studies instructor — for free? Let us know by clicking here. Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. To comment, please click here. © 2012, MAYO FOUNDATION FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.