One in three suffer with back pain

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said these therapies could help and would save the NHS money if GPs recommend these treatments instead of expensive X-rays and other conventional treatments.  In addition to painkillers and advice to stay active, doctors may now also recommend eight exercise sessions, ten acupuncture sessions or nine of manual therapy (spinal manipulation and massage).

As many as one in three adult Brits suffer from lower back pain each year, and approximately 2.5 million go to their GP with the problem.  For many it is a short-term problem, but for those whose pain persists for longer than six weeks there are now more options available.

Professor Peter Littlejohns from NICE said, “There is variation in current clinical practice, so this new NICE guideline means that for the first time we now have the means for a consistent national approach to managing low back pain.  Importantly, patients whose pain is not improving should have access to a choice of different therapies.”

The cost to the NHS is said to be small (around £77,000) because it is offset by savings in treating future disabilities and using more expensive and less supportable treatments such as X-rays or MRI scans.

Dr. Dries Hettinga of the charity BackCare was delighted with the decision.  “This guideline will help patients understand what treatment and care can help them with their back pain and shows that there can be a positive outlook for treating this condition,” he said.

However, others were less enthusiastic about the guideline, voicing concern that the treatments had not yet been fully checked and certified to work.  Professor Edzard Ernst, director of complementary medicine at Peninsula Medical School said, “We must remember that no optimally effective treatment for back pain exists.”