A few weeks ago, I blogged about the face lift we here at About.com are having, and how you can get the most information from the new Symptoms/Conditions Tab (above). As promised, I am continuing the tutorial, this time with the TreatmentsTab. (And by the way, I reorganized the Treatment Tab for this very occasion, so it has the most recent links possible. It's a good time to explore back and neck pain treatments!)

The Treatment Tab, located above, is the 3rd one in from the left. As you've probably guessed, this page is chock full of links to articles and other resources solely about back and neck pain treatments. There are tabs on every article in the Back and Neck Pain Site, so you will never get lost.

If you want to look up a treatment, such as at-home back care or conservative care, or implantable drug pumps, this is the tab you will go to. At the very top is a set of links to general areas of treatment, such as types of treatment, preventing back pain, alternative medicine for back pain and more. Click any of these links for specific treatments in those categories. Or, you can just scroll through the page and browse or pick out things individually.

Let's try a couple of examples. Today, I am looking for general information on treatments - I just want to get a feel for what's out there. So I go to the Treatment Tab. I see the section links at the top and notice Types of Back and Neck Treatments, and click on that. It brings me to the part of the treatments page with links to the various treatment articles. I need to figure out which type of doctor I need an appointment with, so I click on Which Doctors Treat Back Pain?.

Here's another example. I've heard a lot about alternative medicine, and how more and more people are getting great results with things like yoga and acupuncture. I want to learn more, so I go to the top of the treatment page by clicking on the Treatment Tab above. I know the top set of links are the sections. I look through the list and see Alt Medicine and Bodywork (on the bottom left,) and click it, which brings me to all the links on alternative medicine treatments.

Illustration: Anne Asher

If you are 65 or older and take 4 or more medications, your chances of falling may be increased. Duke University researchers have created a list of drugs that, based on their effect on the central nervous system, could contribute to falls. The list includes common anti-depressants, pain killers, seizure medications and others. It is best to check the list, and if you find the one(s) you take, speak with your doctor about the increased risk of falling. (Don't stop taking them until you have worked out what you plan to do with your doctor.) You might even print out the list and bring it with you to your next appointment...

The one thing that all of the drugs on the list have in common is that they depress the central nervous system. What does this mean to you? That your medications may make you slower to react, and less alert, states that could contribute to falling.

Duke researcher Stefanie Ferreri, Pharm.D., says that it's not just prescription meds that can put you over the edge. Over the counter medications can also lead to falls. This is why it's important to both read the labels of all drugs you take and to let your doctor know which OTC medications you take. To check the list, click here.