Treatment for back pain ‘has been making things worse’

TREATMENT for millions of workingage adults with lower back pain has been making things worse, according to international research findings.

A series of studies in The Lancet from countries including Australia, Canada, Italy, France, Spain, the US and UK focuses on “nonspecific back pain”, when the AGONY Lifestyle changes can help cause is mostly unknown. Authors say in many cases the complaint is temporary and the best remedy can be simple lifestyle changes and staying active. Instead, GPs have been referring patients for steroid injections in the spine or surgery to fuse the spinal chord, which can lead to dangerous complications. Professor Nadine Foster, of Keele University, Staffs, said: “This is a wake-up call for health leaders in this country.”