Posted on 03/25/2025 3:46:35 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Only around one in 10 common non-surgical and non-invasive treatments for lower back pain are effective, suggests a pooled data analysis.
And the pain relief they offer is only marginally better than that achieved with a placebo.
Low back pain is common and debilitating, and 80–90% of it is categorized as non-specific, because there's no immediately identifiable cause.
A total of 301 trials investigating 56 different treatments or treatment combinations were included in the pooled data analysis.
The most common interventions were NSAIDs (27 trials), opioids (26 trials), laser and light therapy (25), acupuncture (24), and gentle manual therapy (mobilization; 19 trials).
Fifty-two trials sampled participants with acute low back pain; 228 trials with chronic low back pain; and 21 trial participants with both types.
Of the 69 treatment comparisons included in the trials, the certainty of the evidence was moderate for 11 (16%), low for 25 (36%), and very low for 33 (48%), as assessed by the GRADE system.
The pooled data analysis showed that compared with placebo, no non-pharmacological treatments and only NSAIDs emerged as effective for acute low back pain; exercise, spinal manipulation, and taping, antidepressants and drugs that target pain receptors (TRPV1 agonists) emerged as effective for chronic low back pain.
But the effects were small.
Moderate quality evidence showed that treatments for acute low back pain that weren't effective included exercise, steroid injections and paracetamol, while anesthetics (i.e. Lidocaine) and antibiotics weren't effective for chronic low back pain, the analysis showed.
The evidence was inconclusive for 10 non-pharmacological and 10 pharmacological treatments for acute low back pain. It was also inconclusive for a wide range of 22 non-pharmacological treatments, including acupuncture, massage, osteopathy and TENS, and 16 pharmacological treatments, including antidepressants + paracetamol, complementary medicines, bisphosphonates, and muscle relaxants for chronic back pain.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
If invasive means knife I’ll deal with the pain.
Whenever my back seizes up I go to a very good chiropractor. Fixes me right up.
Old, old news...
Surprisingly, they didn’t inform us that, after much study, they discovered that the Earth rotates...
Nothing non-invasive worked for me. Thank god for Lumbar RF medial nerve ablation, good for 2 years on me. Simply repeat when the nerves grow back.
I had lower back issues for years until I literally met an orthopedic surgeon in a bar who explained to me what my issues likely were, and how to fix them without surgery. As he explained to me, it wouldn’t be easy and it would take some time. He told me to do cheater sit-ups (the ones where you have your knees bent) twice a day, and to buy myself an inversion table and USE IT. It took months, but my back finally started getting better, and after a year or so, I was pain-free and off the pain meds and muscle relaxers. I have to be careful lifting and over-doing it, but whenever I get a flare-up (which is rare) I get over it in a couple of days.
I have friends who are seniors, they all have back problems, every one of them. Only two have resorted to surgery, and they’re sorry they did. Prescriptions aren’t very popular though many have tried. Best results seem to be from otc Doan’s Pills (magnesium salicylate?), aspirin, and gentle exercise.
And speaking of “doans,” doan smoke, doan drink, doan fall down and doan act like you’re still 20.
Back surgery is the worst of the worst.
Chiropractic adjustments using the activator method. This is it.
I’ve been to good chiropractors. And I’ve been to ones who turn out to be useless.
I’ve finally found a way to differentiate between the two. A good chiropractor will limit himself to treating back and nerve problems. A bad chiropractor will not have that limit. He’ll claim to be able to treat literally everything: vitamin deficiencies, skin rashes, ear problems, etc.
There’s a chiropractor near me who says he can reduce Covid symptoms. That’s a huge red flag as far as I’m concerned.
I had chronic back pain for almost thirty years. I had a discectomy/laminectomy that helped some. I had multiple rounds of lumbar injections, PT, pain pills, acupuncture, and some of the back crackers treatment. Nothing helped and the pills only made me a crack addict. It was not until my wife had all of her friends and Bible study ladies pray for me. I was miraculously healed. I have not had serious back pain in about ten years. Thank you Jesus!
My cousin’s husband has had great success with his inversion table.
But I yet to meet anyone who has had great success with surgery.
Almost all I have known to have back surgery have had little success.
The most recent friend to have back surgery ended up with continuing pain and numbness in one leg months later.
The numbness in his leg led to frequent falls.
The doctor kept telling him to continue his rehab and give it time.
The second round of lidocaine/steroid injections greatly reduced my back pain and it has stayed that way for the past 4 years. Fingers crossed.
How can the British be unaware of chiropractors? I would absolutely choose a quick, simple, and effective chiro treatment over surgery.
Too many discount the power of prayer
A few weeks ago I could barely walk. I knew it was time for new proper shoes and gel sole inserts. Major difference.
I’ve also had good results with a chiropractor when facing back pain. After retiring completely from the job, I’ve not needed to visit a chiropractor. Retirement also seems to at least partially explain why I’ve now got more money in the bank than I ever did while working.
However, the other side of the coin is an increasing number of patent medicines, hoaxes, and scams who seem to make up 100% of Newsmax advertisers. There is Mike Huckster Huckabee as usual pitching his quackery. I like Mike but please, enough of the secret formulas. To his credit, his wife looks sweet, and so do his little dogs.
And then there is this Mormon carnival barker idiot pitching the most improbable item, a magic piece of plastic without chemicals or batteries which cures all your ills. The highlight of this baloney is someone pasting this patch on their prosthetic leg. Only $160. Yeah, that's going to work. Look him up on the internet and you will find volumes of consumer and false advertising complaints.
And then there is lovable old Elmer Heinrich pitching his "secret vitamin mineral formula". Even his wife and son get into the act. I have a soft spot for Elmer, but his product seems little more than what you could buy from the Walmart vitamin aisle.
Then there's a crazy blond middle aged lady who used to pitch a product for "ugly yellow toenail fungus". Now this same gal is pitching dog food which cures "pooping issues". Her trade mark is a fast pitch while waving her hand.
Then there is the Jewish lady who stands in front of what appears to be a concentration camp. She claims Holocaust survivors are starving to death and no one will help them. I looked up her salary and it's 5 million dollars per year. She acts like these people were just released from captivity a few days ago.
And then there is Pat Boone. He is always fear mongering and trying to get you to buy his brand of magic gold. This commercial and all the others have one item in common: they play edgy, nervous, uncomfortable music as the background for their commercials. Except Elmer. I think the psychology is that you buy the product and the music stops. I just turn the channel or turn off the set, and the music stops. Problem cured. Sorry Newsmax.
Terrible back pain from age 45 to 62. Chiropractor was my best friend. Then, started 10 fish oil pills a day (still taking 10 a day). Now 83, and since age 72 no more back pain, and no more chiropractors.
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