Sufferers prefer home remedies

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Feb, 2005

Approximately one in six adults (16%) suffered from back pain every single day during the past month, according to a national survey by the North American Spine Society. Individuals are dealing with this persistent issue an average of 14 days per month and often do not seek the advice of trained professionals to treat or improve their condition. Moreover, 80% of Americans will endure this type of discomfort at some point during their lives.

"We were certainly not surprised by the number of people suffering from back pain," notes Thomas Errico, president of NASS. "Since back pain remains a major medical complaint for many, we believe that it's vital to encourage people to see a spine specialist to get the proper treatment so they can improve the quality of their lives."

Some key findings include:

* Back pain negatively impacts quality of life, as nearly one-third of those who have experienced it in the past month say it is difficult to lie in bed and more than one in five find it uncomfortable to drive a car. Another 18% have decreased sexual activity.

* More than one-fourth of back pain sufferers claim they no longer are able to engage in vigorous physical exercise. Almost one-third say they are unable to lift heavy objects.

* When asked what initially caused their condition, 26% attributed aging or getting older as the main cause. According to NASS, degenerative conditions are the number-one reason for back pain.

* Sixteen percent began suffering with the malady after a workplace-related injury and another 14% hurt their backs during a sports or exercise-related incident. Nine percent of those surveyed blamed an automobile accident as the cause of their initial discomfort.

* More men (25%) than women (nine percent) state a workplace injury as the cause of their initial back pain. Nearly one out of five adults with back pain maintain that they have missed work or no longer can work at all.

* More women (64%) than men (50%) have experienced back pain in the past month. Some 34% of females maintain back pain has not changed their lives, while 45% of men make the same claim. In addition, women are more likely than men to be unable to lift heavy objects (38-23%) or engage in vigorous physical exercise (30-20%).

* When adults experience back pain, they most commonly use self-help methods like resting or lying down (55%). Others try to alleviate discomfort by taking an over-the-counter medication (52%) or using a heating pad (38%). A much smaller number go to a trained medical professional to get treated, such as visiting their primary care doctor (23%), chiropractor (20%), or spine specialist (10%).