The Internet is rife with back pain forums – essentially chat rooms where people talk about their conditions, and no one ever seems to get better. These are scary places, and it would be best to stay away from them, unless you’re looking for a pity party. (Forum members typically post an ever-lengthening list of surgical interventions and pharmaceutical cocktails after their names.) There is a great deal of misinformation out there, not to mention desperation. If you visit the forums, do so with a skeptical eye.

One of the better ones is run by the Spine Patient Society. There is also a discussion board at ADR Support, which also addresses artificial disc replacement here.