Low back pain is an extremely common problem that can interfere with one’s work, recreation, or activities of daily living. There are many approaches to treating low back pain, including rest, physical therapy, medications, chiropractic manipulation, and acupuncture. According to a recent study published online in The Lancet, a type of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) significantly improves subacute and chronic low back pain both in the short term and for up to 1 year compared to medical advice alone.

Researchers from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom and their colleague studied nearly 700 patients with low back pain in order to determine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapyin reducing back pain disability. Of the study participants, 468 were treated with up to 6 sessions of group cognitive behavioral therapy and 233 received a 15-minute session of medical management advice, including guidance on the importance of staying active and appropriate use of pain medication. After 12 months, 59% of the study participants assigned to CBT reported recovery from their low back pain compared to 31% of the participants assigned to advice only. And, 65% of the CBT-treated back pain patients reported that they were satisfied with their treatment, compared to 28% of the advice-treated patients.

Each year, Americans spend at least $50 billion on low back pain, and low back pain is the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed days of work. The authors of the study suggest that CBT is a cost-effective strategy for treating low back pain that is no more costly than other approaches, such as chiropractic manipulation and acupuncture. So, perhaps, CBT is something that primary care physicians should consider prior to referring their back pain patients to specialists for consultation.

Source:

The Lancet, published online 26 February 2010.