Today President Obama spoke to the American Medical Association about how to solve the health care crisis. Discussions about updating medical records technology and reducing the costs of medicine by pressuring groups to negotiate, continue to lead in this frantic attempt to curb the escalating costs of America's healthcare system.

Debates about limiting malpractice awards and other cost cutting attempts do little in comparison to the one issue that would resolve the crisis almost single handedly: eliminating the unnecessary diagnostic tests, medications, surgeries and physician's visits associated with the treatment of pain.

Pain is an epidemic in America. It currently affects the lives of more than 75 million people and that number is estimated to double in the next 10 years. 20 billion dollars alone is spent each year on pain medication. 1.2 million back surgeries are performed each year. 980,000 knee surgeries are performed each year. Costs associated with pain account for the largest segment of heathcare dollars being spent.

This unnecessary and wasted expense is the result of a lack of understanding of the cause of pain. Studies continue to show that there is no correlation between MRI findings and the incidence of pain. Findings reveal that more people are having more intense pain for longer periods of time. Physicians openly discuss their lack of ability to address pain, yet continue to practice as if they were achieving high levels of success.

I have proven that the cause of pain in most cases is muscle weakness or imbalance, including muscle strains. I have stopped thousands of people from undergoing unnecessary surgeries and taking medications that could never have resolved the cause of their pain.

I have proven that in most cases, chronic pain was the result of improperly diagnosed acute pain. The majority of diagnostic tests, medications, surgeries and physician visits are unnecessary. Eliminating these unnecessary costs from the money being spent through healthcare, could free up hundreds of billions of dollars to provide healthcare insurance for those without it.

A call for an examination of this wasteful spending must be requested of politicians before any decision is made about how to alter the existing healthcare system. Allowing individuals with absolutely no healthcare experience to make decisions about how this system should work is dangerous and irresponsible.

In the July/August 2009 issue of AARP, the magazine, a story called "the back story" was presented. It discusses the writer's quandary in dealing with their lower back pain. It is mentioned that in bending to tie his shoes, this created severe lower back pain. A discussion ensued about the extensive research that was performed to understand how such a simply act could create such severe pain. The result of the writer's research concluded that the cause of their pain was due to a degenerative disc. In fact, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons stated that 90 percent of herniated discs can be effectively treated with conservative therapies such as limited bed rest, exercise, and anti-inflammatory medications.

If you are over the age of sixty I am sure you have seen your physician for some ache or pain you have noticed slowly growing in your neck back or other joint. An x-ray is performed and you are diagnosed with arthritis. If your complaint is at your hip or shoulder a cursory evaluation may provide you the diagnosis of bursitis or tendonitis. With the diagnosis in hand an anti-inflammatory is prescribed and you are told this should resolve the problem.