Extract
John F. Kennedy suffered the effects of multiple illnesses throughout his
adult life. His diagnoses included chronic colitis, Addison disease, and
degenerative disease of the lumbar
spine1-11.
The lumbar spine problems began in his early twenties and resulted in four
surgical interventions over the course of his life. Despite these
interventions, severe low-back pain plagued him more or less continually until
his death. The nature of his diagnosis and treatment has remained unclear
despite the large volume of written material dedicated to his life. In this
article, the available medical and radiographic records are analyzed in an
effort to clarify his diagnosis and treatment course, as well as to examine
the effects of the lumbar spine disease on his life and political career.