2007-01-15T04:31:00.000-08:00

Only a tiny percentage, perhaps just 1 in a 1000

There is so much written about the huge problems and costs of back trouble, that I thought I would look at the figures in a lateral way, and have turned them around to be more positive.

1. FACT Most back pain gets better with a few weeks of home treatment and careful attention.
2. FACT Statistics show that 10 to 20% of the population will probably never get any back trouble at all, which is amazing considering our sedentary unfit lifestyle.
3: FACT Of the 80 to 90% who do get back trouble, only about 5% will experience anything more than an episode of simple back ache, and then only a TINY percentage will need any other medical intervention, which I will come to later.

Hmm, so to crunch the numbers:

200 people in every 1000, which is 20%, will probably never get any back trouble.
That means about 800 in a 1000 (80%) will probably get some sort of back pain.

BUT, if only 5% of those 800 (which is about 40 people) get more than simple back ache, then only 40 people in a 1000 suffer from more than strained muscles and joint structures.

So, that means that only 4% of the population will get anything more than backache which will get better with a few weeks careful attention.

So here are some back Myths and Facts from the Spine Health Site, with a few comments added

Myth: Most back pain is caused by a slipped disc.

Fact: Only 1 to 3 percent of low back pain results from herniated, or slipped, discs. (Comment : Most of these get better with careful management)

Myth: Most back problems eventually require surgery.

Fact: Fewer than one person in 1,000 with low back pain will need surgery. (Comment: Surgery may be one of a variety of approaches, and it cant be stressed enough that laminectomy is only one of a variety of different surgical interventions, operations are done for rare tumours, wear and tear, and all manner of unusual reasons)

Myth: Everyone with back pain will need an MRI.

Fact: In certain cases, MRI is very useful in diagnosing back pain. However, not everyone with back pain needs this test. Also, MRI is not a treatment for back pain. ( Comment : MRI is helpful in management, because many disc problems improve with conservative care, however disc problems often take longer to heal than muscle or ligament problems)

Myth: Everyone has low back pain. It's something that has to be endured until it becomes disabling.

Fact: Some 6.5 million Americans are treated for low back pain each day. Getting help early is very important to successful treatment because it can reduce the number of times back pain recurs. (Comment : This is where the critical early management offered by a UK Physiotherapist is imperative. A UK Physiotherapist can diagnose which people need referral on for more specialist care. They can also refer for MRI, Xray and other tests. Most people who wont need surgery will benefit from a Physiotherapist orthopaedic examination, advice, symptomatic treatment and guided rehabilitation)

Myth: Only people who do heavy labor or much lifting suffer intense low back pain.

Fact: Up to 90 percent of adults experience low back pain at some time in their lives. In addition to heavy lifting, other factors that increase the risks of developing low back pain include being overweight, sitting for long periods, driving and smoking. ( Comment: We seem to be overlooking here that most researchers point to lack of flexibility, obesity, poor fitness, habituation, depression and stress, or job tension as factors in back pain)

So, the good news is that only a tiny number of people will have a problem with their back sufficient to interfere with their life.

Plus : there are many approaches to help you keep your back healthy and well.

AND there are many treatments to help the symptoms of back problems. Whole professions have developed from claiming to be the best treaters of back pain.

BUT, the secret is, there is no quick fit fix for all back problems.

So, the best solution is to look after your back.

Having a healthy back involves mindfullness, awareness, and skill. Injuries will always occur, because we cant elliminate human errors, road accident, slips trips and trauma.

Happy Backs