As the nation grapples with its opioid addiction epidemic, one solution for many with chronic joint pain and back pain could be physical therapy. But it’s often underutilized. Here’s why.
A recent series on low back pain by the global medical journal The Lancet shows doctors often overlook recommended treatments, such as advice to stay active and to exercise.
Sunanda Creagh, The Conversation; Sasha Petrova, The Conversation; Sophie Heizer, The Conversation, and Benjamin Ansell, The Conversation
Trust Me I’m An Expert: The science of pain
The Conversation58.7 MB(download)
Our podcast Trust Me, I'm An Expert, goes beyond the headlines and asks researchers to explain the evidence on issues making news. Today, we're talking pain and what science says about managing it.
Rates of spinal fusion surgery for back pain are on the rise. This is despite little evidence that it’s an effective procedure and studies showing many will have revision surgery within ten years.
Prescriptions of the drug pregabalin to treat sciatica have skyrocketed in recent years. But a new study shows it brings only side effects, and not relief for sufferers.
Matt Brown, Queensland University of Technology and Murray Hargrave, Queensland University of Technology
Roughly a quarter of patients under 45 years suffering ongoing lower-back pain without an obvious other cause will have the disease ankylosing spondylitis.
The evidence suggests too much medicine is doing us harm, particularly when treating knee pain, back pain, chest pain and screening for prostate cancer.