Health

Just 1 in 10 back pain treatments work, study says — what to do instead

Published

12 months ago

March 20, 2025

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.”

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

Health

Common nighttime noise exposure may trigger heart problems, study suggests

Published

6 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Common nighttime noise exposure may trigger heart problems, study suggests

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Living near heavy traffic could negatively impact your heart health.

A European study, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that exposure to nighttime road traffic noise is linked to changes in the blood, leading to worsened cholesterol and cardiovascular risks.

The researchers considered data from the U.K. Biobank, Rotterdam Study, and Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, including more than 272,000 adults over the age of 30, according to a press release.

Nighttime road noise exposure was estimated at all participants’ homes based on national noise maps. Researchers also took blood samples to measure the participants’ metabolic biomarkers for disease, then mapped the link between nightly noise levels and existence of biomarkers.

Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers. (iStock)

The study found that people exposed to louder noise at night — especially sounds above 55 decibels — showed changes in 48 different substances in their blood. Twenty of these associations “remained robust” throughout all cohorts.

Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers, especially LDL “bad” cholesterol, IDL (intermediate-density lipoprotein) and unsaturated fatty acids.

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As noise levels increased, starting at around 50 decibels, cholesterol markers rose steadily, the release stated.

The authors concluded that this study “provides evidence that nighttime road traffic noise exposure from 50 dB upward is associated with alterations in blood cholesterol and lipid profiles in adults.”

Researchers noted a link between traffic noise and cardiometabolic disease. (iStock)

Study co-author Yiyan He, doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, noted that in this type of research, small effect sizes are expected, and environmental exposures such as traffic noise are “typically modest.”

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“Despite this, we observed statistically robust and consistent associations across many biomarkers, especially those related to LDL and IDL lipoproteins,” she told Fox News Digital.

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“We also identified a clear exposure-response pattern starting at around 50 dB, suggesting that metabolic changes become more evident as noise levels increase.”

This aligns with public health guidance, as the World Health Organization recommends lower nighttime noise limits at around 40 to 45 dB, Yiyan He added.

“This finding may clarify the association between traffic noise and cardiometabolic diseases,” the researchers wrote. (iStock)

“The 55 dB level is often used as an interim benchmark associated with substantial noise annoyance and sleep disturbance,” she said. “In our study, we observed associations not only at 55 dB, but also indications of effects emerging at around 50 dB.”

The strength and consistency of the cholesterol-related associations were surprising, as these changes are usually “subtle.”

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“Instead, we found consistent associations across multiple large European cohorts, which strengthens confidence that the findings may reflect real biological patterns,” Yiyan He went on. “We were also interested to see that effects were minimal below ~50 dB, suggesting a possible threshold-like pattern.”

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The researcher noted that these findings were consistent across genders, education levels and obesity status.

The study was restricted to White Europeans, which posed a limitation. There was also a lack of information on the fasting status in the UK Biobank.

Changes in cholesterol levels were more severe than researchers expected. (iStock)

“Fasting can influence levels of certain metabolites, particularly fatty acids,” Yiyan He said. “However, based on UK Biobank documentation, fewer than 10% of participants were fasting for at least eight hours, and our main findings focused on cholesterol-related biomarkers, which are generally less sensitive to short-term fasting.”

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The researchers also lacked information on bedroom location, indoor noise exposure and time spent at home.

“These factors may introduce non-differential exposure misclassification,” Yiyan He said. “Additionally, noise exposure estimates were based on participants’ temporary residential addresses at the time of blood sampling, without considering the duration of residence.”

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“Many of these limitations would tend to bias results toward the null, so the consistent associations we observed remain noteworthy.”

Experts recommend taking measures to limit traffic noise at night. (iStock)

Based on this latest research, Yiyan He noted that nighttime noise is a “health-relevant exposure,” not just “an annoyance.”

“Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic noise may subtly but consistently affect metabolic health,” she said. “While the changes in cholesterol and lipid levels for any one individual are small, traffic noise affects a very large number of people, which means the potential public health impact could be substantial.”

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The researcher recommends taking measures like improving sound insulation, using noise-reducing strategies and placing bedrooms on the quieter side of the home when possible.

“Because sleep is a key pathway linking noise to health, protecting the nighttime sleep environment is especially important,” she added.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

Published

17 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and Fat Burn | Woman’s World

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