Health
Just 1 in 10 back pain treatments work, study says — what to do instead
Chronic back pain is the most common type of pain, affecting around 16 million American adults — and now a new study has revealed some discouraging findings about potential treatments.
Only around one in every 10 treatments was found to be effective in relieving lower back pain, according to a new study published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine.
Many of them are “barely better than a placebo” in terms of pain relief, as stated in a press release from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia.
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“Our review did not find reliable evidence of large effects for any of the included treatments,” said lead study author Dr. Aidan Cashin, deputy director of the Centre for Pain IMPACT at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and conjoint senior lecturer in the School of Health Sciences at UNSW Sydney.
Only around one in every 10 treatments was found to be effective in relieving lower back pain, according to a new study. (iStock)
The researchers reviewed 301 randomized, controlled trials that included data on 56 non-surgical treatments for adults experiencing acute low back pain, chronic low back pain or a combination of both types, comparing them to groups that received placebos.
“Treatments included in the research were pharmacological, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – or NSAIDs – and muscle relaxants, but also non-pharmacological, like exercise and massage,” Cashin said.
Effective and ineffective treatments
Ineffective treatments for acute low back pain included exercise, steroid injections and paracetamol (acetaminophen), the study found.
For chronic low back pain, antibiotics and anaesthetics were also “unlikely to be suitable treatment options,” the study found.
Around 16 million adults experience persistent or chronic back pain, data shows. (iStock)
For acute low back pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could be effective, the study found.
For chronic low back pain, therapies including exercise, taping, spinal manipulation, antidepressants and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) agonists may be effective — “however, those effects were small,” Cashin noted.
“Things like stress, sleep quality, fatigue, fear, social situations, nutrition, sickness and previous history of pain all play a role in how we experience pain.”
The findings were “inconclusive” for many other treatments due to the “limited number of randomized participants and poor study quality,” the researchers stated.
“We need further high-quality, placebo-controlled trials to understand the efficacy of treatments and remove the uncertainty for both patients and clinical teams,” Cashin said.
Dr. Stephen Clark, a physical therapist and chief clinical officer at Confluent Health in Georgia, noted that the study was looking at “isolated interventions.”
“They excluded studies where it was not possible to isolate the effectiveness of the target intervention,” Clark, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
‘Complex condition’
Pain is a complex condition influenced by many different factors, according to Clark.
“Determining a specific cause of low back pain, particularly when the pain is persistent, is difficult, as the BMJ study points out,” he said.
For acute low back pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could be effective, the study found. (iStock)
“Things like stress, sleep quality, fatigue, fear, social situations, nutrition, sickness and previous history of pain all play a role in how we experience pain.”
Clark recommends “multimodal” treatments for pain, including multiple interventions tailored to each individual patient’s experience.
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“Physical therapy research shows that manual therapy (joint mobilization/manipulation, soft tissue techniques), active interventions like exercise, and education about why you hurt and what to do about it is the ticket,” he said.
“It’s also important to remember that what worked for someone else might not be the exact pathway that works for you,” one physical therapist said. (iStock)
“It’s also important to remember that what worked for someone else might not be the exact pathway that works for you.”
While surgical intervention can be effective for some patients, Clark noted that it can present its own challenges and should be a “last resort” for non-emergency situations.
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“While surgery is indicated in some cases, it’s almost never the answer in isolation,” he said. “Understanding pain and the complexity around a person’s situation must be in view.”
“In many cases, conservative care can prevent or delay the need for invasive procedures.”
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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