If You Feel Like Nothing Works for Your Back Pain, Science Says You’re Right

If you’ve ever had trouble recovering from a bad back, you’re far from alone. A study out this week has found that only about 10% of common back pain treatments appear to provide any noticeable relief, and just barely at that. Scientists in Australia led the research, published Tuesday in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine. The researchers analyzed data from hundreds of clinical trials testing out dozens of back pain remedies, and found that only a few truly seemed more effective than placebo. These treatments, which include exercise or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), probably only provide a small benefit on average, however. Back pain, particularly low back pain, is one of the most common and frustrating afflictions plaguing humanity today. Just about everyone will experience low back pain at least once in their lives. Roughly 10% of the world’s population currently has an aching back, while about 40% of adults in the U.S. have had back pain in the last three months. Most ... Read full article.