BACK PAIN

How often have you heard someone complaining about back pain and thought thank goodness it’s not me? Well the fact is that most of us will suffer some form of back pain in our lives.

First some key facts.

Back pain is the second most common reason, after respiratory disorders, that patients seek help of the healthcare system.

Eighty-five percent of people will be disabled by an attack of back pain during their lives, and at any given time 7% of the adult population will be suffering a bout of back pain lasting more than 2 weeks.

Disability and costs caused by back pain have been growing far more quickly than the population in recent years. Although this trend may now be slowing the size of the problem is challenging. The cost to the healthcare industry alone is put at £1.6 billion a year. 7 million people a year visit their GPs with back problems and according to the HSE each person takes an average of 17.4 days off work each year with back problems.

Most back pain is in fact not caused by any underlying pathology, such as a disease, fracture or disc herniation, but rather the way we lead our lives. Causes include factors such as posture, ergonomics, stress, anxiety, depression, smoking and obesity. Put simply - the sprains and strains caused by normal war and tear of life. Here we see joint immobility, weak and stiff muscles and often nerve entrapment as primary causes of back pain.

Scottish orthopaedic surgeon Dr Gordon Waddell, a foremost medical expert in the management of back pain, has spoken out against the traditional treatment of back pain with its emphasis on disc, rest and surgery. He recognises that back pain is more complex than simply structural problems but involves mechanical, psychological and issues of lifestyle and work and how patients view their back pain. The focus is also very much on an early intervention.

The view that most patients will get over the problem without treatment within a month or so is wrong. Many will get over the immediate problem, but the evidence would support the view that patients are then experiencing recurring unresolved problems in the future. A previous episode of back pain is the strongest risk factor for a new episode, as much as twice as high as for those without a previous episode.

So what can we learn from this?

There is little doubt that our sedentary lifestyles and work habits are key factors in the incidence of back pain. It is also apparent that back pain is often not simply a structural problem but can have wider implications for our lives. What is important is that help and treatment is sought early thereby reducing the risk to long term disability. There is nothing to be gained from suffering in silence and ignoring what your body is telling you.

My advice will always be seek out a professional practitioner qualified in this area and get help.