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Smoking's Link to Back Problems

Smoking causes cancer, lung disease and heart attacks, and disrupts body chemistry in such dangerous ways that a host of other ailments can result. So it's not surprising that even back problems might be caused by nicotine and smoke ingestion.

Indeed, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) says smoking diminishes the blood supply to the bones, and saps them of calcium, both of which increase the possibility of the onset of osteoporosis. Suggestive of the relationship between smoking and back issues, one's chances for success after back surgery improve dramatically if one is a nonsmoker or has ceased smoking.

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ARTIFICIAL DISC TREATS LOWER BACK PAIN

Jumping off rooftops, running through burning buildings, crashing cars, it's all in a day's work for Jeff Gibson. "I did Batman movies, Robocop, Conspiracy Theory, War of the Worlds."

Some would call Hollywood stuntman, Jeff Gibson, a dare-devil adrenaline machine. In addition to performing life-threatening stunts as a livelihood, Jeff also skydives, races cars and scuba-dives. But, it wasn't on the movie set or on the race track that sparked Jeff's battle with excruciating back pain. It was a simple house chore.

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