Articles: low-back-pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of focusing and distraction on cold pressor-induced pain in chronic back pain patients and control subjects.
Previous studies showed equivocal findings regarding the efficacy of focused attention and distraction to experimental pain. This study examined the relative efficacy of these strategies on perception of cold pressor pain in 41 chronic back pain patients and 41 healthy control participants. Participants were randomized to the 2 strategies and then completed a 7-minute cold pressor test. Pain intensity and discomfort ratings were obtained during the task. Participants who completed the first task were asked to complete a second cold pressor task without instructions. Pain and discomfort ratings differed by condition across time. In the distraction condition, pain levels started low but continued to rise throughout the cold pressor immersion, whereas in the focused attention condition, pain levels started higher, rose less quickly, and then decreased from the middle of the task. Focused attention was associated with higher pain and lower completion rates in chronic pain patients compared with healthy control subjects. Focused attention might therefore not be an effective intervention strategy for individuals with chronic back pain. Finally, in the second cold pressor test, patients' pain reports rose more rapidly than those of healthy control subjects. The results of this study can be explained in terms of differences in cognitive appraisal between pain patients and healthy control participants. ⋯ Marked differences were found between chronic back pain patients and control participants regarding focused attention as compared with distraction as a means of coping with cold pressor-induced pain. These differences underline the importance of taking into account previous experience with pain when recommending strategies to cope with painful procedures.
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Clin Occup Environ Med · Jan 2006
ReviewUse of medications in the treatment of acute low back pain.
The prescription of medications continues to be one of the mainstays of treatment of acute low back pain episodes. The goals of the pharmacologic treatment for acute low back are reduction of pain and return of normal function. Often, nociception is a result of secondary inflammation and muscle spasm after acute injury of a structure of the spine, which may include muscle, tendon, ligament, disc, or bone. An understanding of the appropriate use of medications to address the underlying pain generator and the current evidence for using these medications is essential for any physician who sees and treats patients with acute low back pain.
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At present, there is an increasing international trend towards evidence-based health care. The field of low back pain (LBP) research in primary care is an excellent example of evidence-based health care because there is a huge body of evidence from randomized trials. These trials have been summarized in a large number of systematic reviews. ⋯ There is no evidence that any of these interventions provides long-term effects on pain and function. Also, many trials showed methodological weaknesses, effects are compared to placebo, no treatment or waiting list controls, and effect sizes are small. Future trials should meet current quality standards and have adequate sample size.
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Bmc Musculoskel Dis · Jan 2006
Are lifestyle-factors in adolescence predictors for adult low back pain? A cross-sectional and prospective study of young twins.
With more than half of the population experiencing low back pain (LBP) before the age of 20, research must focus on young populations. Lifestyle-factors might be important elements of prevention, since they are modifiable in nature. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to investigate the association between smoking, alcohol consumption and overweight in adolescence and 1) present LBP (cross-sectionally) and 2) the risk of future LBP (longitudinally). ⋯ Several of the Bradford Hill criteria for causality were fulfilled for smoking whereas the crucial aspect of temporality was missing for alcohol consumption and overweight. The twin-control study failed to confirm a statistically significant link between smoking and LBP.