I have tonsilitis right now. Not a big deal. I usually get tonsilitis once every two years. Besides my inflamed tonsils, I have no other signs or symptoms.

I use herbal green tea with honey and lemon to treat my tonsils and throat. Reluctantly, I will probaby go to the doctor today or tomorrow to get an antibiotic for it assuming it is bacterial in origin. A good antibiotic should clear it up quickly until the next time of course.

Many people including doctors treat back pain the same way. Doctors give patients painkillers in the form of shots or drugs and send them on their way until that nagging back pain creeps up again.

This may offer temporary or short-term relief for the patient but ultimately it leads to a revolving door effect that clogs up doctor offices, increases patient costs and offers no real long-term solution for back pain sufferers.

If you are like most back pain sufferers, barring injury of course, your back pain is caused by overwork, stress, anxiety, lack of exercise, poor nutrition and perhaps lack of sleep.

If you think your back pain might be related to any of these, I have great news for you. You can defeat your back pain without going to the doctor and without depending on costly and risky prescription and over-the-counter drugs...

That's right...if you are a back pain sufferer there is real hope for you. The secret to ending back pain is not as simple as taking an antibiotic to clear up tonsilitis. It all starts with the right mental approach.

Huh? That's right. The secret to ending your back pain might be in the old noggin. Let me explain.

First, let me say that if you are experiencing back pain for the first time in your life, it is a good idea to get checked out by a physician to make sure your back pain is not related to a more serious life-threatening condition.

Once this is ascertained, you can really start to go to work on your back pain in terms of how it might be caused by stress or poor nutrition for instance.

Take the time to evaluate your lifestyle!

Write down on a piece of paper all the things that could be the direct or indirect cause of your back pain.

Maybe it is a demanding boss? A stressful job? Lack of exercise? Not eating enough fruits and vegetables? Tossing and turning at night?

Look at the list of potential causes of your back pain and stop ignoring them.

Make the mental choice and conscious commitment to find balance in your life.

For instance, if you have a stressful job be sure to allow yourself some time to take a step back and relax. Treat yourself to that massage or spend more time at the gym to help relieve built up tension.

Allow yourself more time with friends, family or even your pets.

Make the conscious effort to eat better and drink more water instead of loading up on coffees and sodas day after day.

Get in the habit of going to bed early at night and waking up early in the morning. Try working out in the morning before work especially. This will give you more energy throughout the day and help you sleep better at night.

My point is this. Make the mental choice or the mental commitment to change things about your lifestyle enough to create a healthier balance so you aren't suffocated by all the crazy and hectic things life throws at you.

You shouldn't think that a bottle of painkillers or "x" amount of trips to the doctor's office is the solution to your back pain.

The solution is most likely already inside you.

Just remember... change your mind first so you can fix your back pain later.