I had two back surgeries. I have basically had no back issues since, compared to almost annual bouts of excruciating pain for weeks at a time. And chemo kept my ex alive for nearly nine years after her original diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer. It was rough, but she managed to have a pretty full life those years.

@Barnie2years Then I stand corrected in your cases. I don't research the ongoing lives of people who have surgeries so will admit having little authority other than having two beloved family members whom surgery didn't help and a few articles about the subject. I would not have either treatment for myself and do have lower back problems. I think regular massage would be a better thing to fully explore before consenting to surgery. So would Asian needle treatments (can't think of its name).

@rainmanjr acupuncture. I tried a variety of things, chiropractors, muscle relaxers, physical therapy, and exercise. Some provided temporary relief, but never long term. A CAT scan showed obviously bulging disks (I could see both on the slide, and normally I have no idea what I’m looking at).

I agree that relying solely on drugs to cure all health issues is often ad medicine. I also think many drugs are very effective and I am thankful they have been discovered.

I tried to find tables indicating whether Americans use more drugs but instead only found table showing that we spend more on drugs because our drugs cost more. Many times our drugs cost as much as three or four times more than the same drug in other countries, I think Americans evidently do not use more drugs than many other countries because they spend about 70% as much as we do and their drugs are much cheaper.