INCIDENCE of conditions such as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and cancer is higher in people with back pain than in those without, according to new research from Australia and Brazil, with authors urging health professionals to look beyond pain management when caring for these patients.
As a leading cause of disability worldwide, chronic back pain is a major burden on healthcare systems and economies.
Using data from the 2019 National Health Survey in Brazil, which included nearly 90,000 people, the study found that a range of diseases were more prevalent in people with chronic back pain.
Cardiovascular disease, arthritis and depression were the top three most prevalent comorbidities in people with chronic back pain, with diabetes, cancer, and asthma and other lung diseases also more common in this group.
Patients with chronic back pain who also had comorbidities were more likely to report severe activity limitations, particularly those who had arthritis, depression and cardiovascular disease, the research found.
Overall, six in every 10 people with chronic back pain had one or more comorbidities, the data showed.
Approximately one in five people in the survey reported chronic back pain, a finding similar to higher-income countries, and the authors said this indicated the research has global relevance.
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit their GP, and the study suggests a wider, more integrated approach to care could reduce suffering and ensure other chronic diseases are properly managed.
"While more research is needed to understand the link between chronic back pain and other non-communicable diseases, they often share underlying risk factors such as physical inactivity, obesity, stress and poor sleep," said study lead Assoc Prof Rafael Zambelli Pinto, a physiotherapy researcher at the University of Technology Sydney.
"The findings highlight the urgent need for doctors to look beyond pain management when treating patients with chronic back pain.
"It's not just about the spine - these patients are carrying a heavier overall health burden that affects their independence and quality of life."
Read the study HERE. KB
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