Lower Back Pain Treatment | NICE Guidelines to Treating Lower Back Pain

There are so many lower back pain treatment choices on offer - how do you choose what to do? I have heard so many claims that a certain type of treatment is the answer but the truth is that no-one is 100% certain of what helps. There is no single answer to the problem of simple lower back pain.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) have released some interesting new guidelines on the management of low back pain that is more than 6 weeks old but less than a year. Much of the evidence they present is not surprising - we have known for a while that certain things don't work. Other recommendations have been a surprise and have caused quite a stir in the UK.

Read more by following the links below.

• About the NICE guidelines for the treatment for back pain
• What the guidelines recommend for treatment for lower back pain
• What they say you should avoid when treating lower back pain
• Recommendations about whether you should have a lumbar spine MRI scan or other tests

We are all different and our back problems are the result of our own unique bodies and lifestyles. Lower back pain treatment for one person may not be suitable for someone else. A big problem is the lack of high quality research about many of the lower back pain treatment options available. Few treatments have good solid research proving that they really work. This is further confused by the fact that acute back pain gets better by itself - 75% of people are back to work within 4 weeks.(1)

What else do we know about low back pain treatment?

It's not at all hopeless - there are certainly things that can help. These are things that we are confident about and that are backed up by some good quality research.

• Simple lower back pain is the most common type of back problem , 95 % of people with lower back problems have this type of problem and nothing more serious. (Causes and Symptoms.)
  
  
• We know that resting and avoiding activity is not the best way to manage this problem, it makes the problem worse.
  

• Sustained poor postures (either sitting, standing or lifting) can make the problem worse.
  
  
• Exercise and education are helpful tools in managing lower back pproblems.
  
  
• We know that fear of movement and other unhelpful beliefs (yellow flags) make it more likely that the problem will last longer and be more disruptive.
  
  
• We also know that some treatments help with relieving discomfort- there are a large selection on offer - I have summarised them at in the treatment section.

 

If you want to know more about how to manage your lower back pain you might be interested in my e-book Back Pain Action Guide. This is an evidence based step by step guide to help you to manage your lower back pain.

Is your back problem acute or chronic?

Lower Back Pain Treatment - Pain Relief

Do's and Don'ts in the management of acute back pain.

Do's and Don'ts in the management of chronic lower back pain.

Lower Back Pain Toolkit Home Page

References

NICE Low back pain.<http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG88>

16-Aug-2010