When low back pain doesn't go away within a few months, the chance of long-term recovery shrink
Most episodes of back pain do recover, however
More than 570 million people worldwide have low back pain
MONDAY, Jan. 22, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Back pain is a double-edged sword.
In most cases, it disappears within about six weeks. But when it doesn't, low back pain is likely to bother you for the long haul, researchers warn.
"The good news is that most episodes of back pain recover, and this is the case even if you have already had back pain for a couple of months," said researcher Lorimer Moseley, a professor of physiotherapy and pain management at the University of South Australia in Adelaide. "The bad news is that once you have had back pain for more than a few months, the chance of recovery is much lower."
More than 570 million people worldwide are affected by low back pain. In the U.S. alone, the bill for treating it added up to $134.5 billion between 1996 and 2016. And costs are increasing.
In a review of 95 studies, an international team compared acute low back pain (less than 6 weeks), subacute back pain (6-12 weeks) and persistent low back pain (more than 12 weeks).
They report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that for folks with new back pain, pain and mobility issues eased significantly in the first six weeks, then slowed.
This study closed a gap in a 2012 study from the same team, with new findings showing that many people whose pain lasts more than 12 weeks continue to experience moderate-to-high levels of pain and disability.
"These findings make it clear that back pain can persist even when the initial injury has healed," Moseley said in a news release. "In these situations, back pain is associated with pain system hypersensitivity, not ongoing back injury."
That means that if you have back pain on most days for more than a few months, you need a new strategy to get better, he said.
Moseley noted that new treatments based on training both brain and body focus first on understanding that chronic back pain is not a simple problem, and that there is no simple solution. Then, the focus shifts to slowly reducing pain sensitivity and increasing function and participation in meaningful activities.
His team said identifying slowed recovery is important so that care can be stepped up, reducing the likelihood of persistent pain.
Researchers added that further study is needed to address this common condition and to better understand it in people under 18 and over 60 years of age.
The findings were published Jan. 22.
The Mayo Clinic has more about the causes of back pain.
SOURCE: Canadian Medical Association Journal, news release, Jan. 22, 2024
If you have back pain that doesn't get better in a few weeks, ask your health care provider about alternative approaches to care.
"Wakati maumivu ya mgongo hayaondoki ndani ya miezi michache, nafasi ya kupona kwa muda mrefu hupungua, ""alisema Daktari wa Ugonjwa wa Mgongo, ""Wakati maumivu ya mgongo yanaongezeka, zaidi ya watu milioni 570 ulimwenguni kote wana maumivu ya mgongo, ""Monday, Januari 22, 2020 (HealthDay News)." Katika visa vingi, hupotea baada ya majuma sita hivi. Lakini ikiwa haifanyi hivyo, huenda maumivu ya mgongo yakasumbua kwa muda mrefu, watafiti wanahadhari. "Hata hivyo, ""habari njema ni kwamba vipindi vingi vya maumivu ya mgongo hupona, na hii ni kesi hata kama umekuwa na maumivu ya mgongo kwa miezi michache,"" alisema mtafiti Lorimer Moseley, profesa wa physiotherapy na usimamizi wa maumivu katika Chuo Kikuu cha Australia Kusini huko Adelaide." "Habari mbaya ni kwamba mara tu unapokuwa na maumivu ya mgongo kwa zaidi ya miezi michache, uwezekano wa kupona ni mdogo sana". Zaidi ya watu milioni 570 duniani kote wanaugua maumivu ya mgongo. Katika nchi za Marekani pekee, gharama ya matibabu ya ugonjwa huo iliongezeka hadi dola bilioni 134,5 kati ya mwaka wa 1996 na 2016. Na gharama zinaongezeka. Katika utafiti wa miaka 95 uliofanywa, timu ya wataalamu wa kimataifa ililinganisha maumivu makali ya mgongo (ya chini ya wiki 6), maumivu makali ya mgongo (ya chini ya wiki 6-12), na maumivu makali ya mgongo (ya zaidi ya wiki 12). Kulingana na jarida la Canadian Medical Association Journal, watu waliopata maumivu ya mgongo na matatizo ya kusonga walipata upungufu mkubwa katika wiki sita za kwanza, kisha wakaanza kupungua. Utafiti huu ulifunga pengo katika utafiti wa 2012 kutoka kwa timu hiyo hiyo, na matokeo mapya yanaonyesha kuwa watu wengi ambao maumivu yao huendelea kwa zaidi ya wiki 12 wanaendelea kupata viwango vya wastani hadi vya juu vya maumivu na ulemavu. "Ugunduzi huu unaonyesha wazi kwamba maumivu ya mgongo yanaweza kuendelea hata baada ya jeraha la awali kupona", Moseley alisema katika taarifa ya habari. "Katika hali hizo, maumivu ya mgongo huhusianishwa na mfumo wa maumivu kuwa na hisia nyingi sana, si jeraha la mgongo linaloendelea". "Hiyo inamaanisha kwamba ikiwa una maumivu ya mgongo siku nyingi kwa zaidi ya miezi michache, unahitaji mkakati mpya wa kupata bora. """ "Moseley alisema matibabu mapya ya ""kufundisha"" ubongo na mwili yanazingatia kwanza kuelewa kwamba maumivu ya mgongo ya muda mrefu si tatizo rahisi, na kwamba hakuna suluhisho rahisi." Kisha, lengo hubadilika polepole kupunguza hisia za maumivu na kuongeza utendaji na ushiriki katika shughuli zenye maana. Timu yake ilisema kutambua kupona polepole ni muhimu ili huduma iweze kuongezeka, kupunguza uwezekano wa maumivu ya kudumu. Watafiti wanasema utafiti zaidi unahitajika ili kukabiliana na hali hii ya kawaida na kuielewa vizuri kwa watu chini ya miaka 18 na zaidi ya miaka 60. Matokeo ya utafiti huo yalichapishwa Januari 22. Kliniki ya Mayo ina habari zaidi kuhusu visababishi vya maumivu ya mgongo. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika jarida la Canadian Medical Association Journal, ""Ugonjwa wa mgongo ambao hauwezi kupona katika wiki chache, uliza mtoa huduma yako ya afya kuhusu mbinu mbadala za utunzaji."""