A new study in the United States has shed some light on when back pain is serious enough to warrant surgery.

The Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center is leading an ongoing study of treatment for back pain.

It has found surgery is not necessarily better than other therapies in many instances.

One of the most common back ailments for people older than 55 is spinal stenosis, or narrowing that pinches nerves. Results showed patients with the condition did substantially better with surgery than patients without.

However previous research on another common back problem, the herniated disc, showed surgery is not necessarily better than other therapy.

Results from Weinstein's third and final study of the most common back ailments will be released later this year.

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