Summary: A new study found that more than 72 million Americans are living with chronic low back pain. That is more than anyone thought. It also found that most people with low back pain (84%) are unhappy with their treatment. And it appears that in one-third of cases, doctors fail to find the cause, which leads to poor results.
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the top cause of chronic pain and disability in the world and in the US. Studies show it is more common than once thought. Worse, doctors do not agree on how to treat it. That leads to poor results.
Now a new study shows that more than 72 million Americans live with CLBP. These numbers are huge. The condition seems to be underreported, since many people never seek treatment. These figures mean CLBP is more common in the US than diabetes, arthritis, or heart disease. These were the findings of the new Harris Poll.
The study found that 36% of these people live with severe, disabling back pain. They often call it the worst pain possible. And half of those with CLBP reported several bouts of low back pain in the last five years.
This study was paid for by the company Vertos Medical. It was an online survey of 5,000 adults. Vertos Medical makes devices for treating low back pain. The study had many other troubling findings. For example, in one-third of cases, doctors did not tell their patients the cause of CLBP. Most patients were not happy with the quality of their care. In fact, 84% said they wished they had been treated better. This shows the need for better sciatica pain management.
The study shows that CLBP affects a huge number of adults. Many of them have accepted low back pain as part of life. They have given up hope of good treatment. Researchers say something else matters too. In one-third of cases, doctors could not name the cause of the pain. That shows doctors are struggling to treat it.
This is not the first study to show that CLBP is more common than people think and is often poorly treated. More than 540 million people live with CLBP worldwide. A study published in The Lancet in 2018 shows that most cases of low back pain are poorly treated. Doctors do not agree on how to treat CLBP. They often turn to treatments not shown to help, like risky surgeries and long-term painkillers that do not seem to work.
The Harris Poll backed up these earlier findings. Most patients with CLBP are not happy with their treatment. Doctors often give therapies that do not work, and patients keep suffering. That is why most patients with CLBP see several providers. They average 4 office visits per year.
The study also found that epidural steroid injections (ESIs) are common for back pain. About 20% of poll participants had ESIs, and most had more than one. Steroid shots are good for many joint aches. But they are not much help in low back pain. The US FDA warns they may cause severe problems like loss of vision, stroke, and paralysis.
About one-third of patients with CLBP said they were prescribed opioids. About 15% were still using them at the time of the survey. Opioids are not seen as good for treating CLBP, yet they work fairly well. In fact, the study found opioids were among the most effective treatments for CLBP. They were slightly better than “conservative or eastern medicine.”
More than half of those with CLBP said low back pain badly hurt their quality of life, physical health, and mental health. Because most are unhappy with their treatment, about 78% have accepted CLBP as part of their life, the study found.
Frequently asked questions
How many Americans have chronic low back pain?
More than 72 million, according to a Harris Poll online survey of 5,000 adults. Vertos Medical, a company that makes devices for low back pain, paid for it. That makes chronic low back pain more common in the US than diabetes, arthritis, or heart disease. The true number is likely higher, because many people never seek treatment. Worldwide, more than 540 million people live with it.
Is chronic low back pain the leading cause of disability?
Yes. Chronic low back pain is the top cause of chronic pain and disability in the US and worldwide. In the Harris Poll, 36% of people with it described severe, disabling pain, often the worst they could imagine. Half had several bouts in the past five years. More than half said it badly hurt their quality of life, physical health, and mental health.
Why is chronic low back pain so hard to treat?
Because the cause often goes unnamed. In one-third of cases, doctors never told patients what was causing their back pain. You cannot fix what you have not found. There is also no agreed approach. So many patients get treatments that do not help, including risky surgeries and long-term painkillers. That is why 84% said they wished they had been treated better.
Should I just accept chronic back pain as part of life?
About 78% of people in the survey already have, and that giving up is the real epidemic. Many bounce between providers, averaging four office visits a year, without getting an answer. Poor results so far often mean the cause was missed or the treatment was wrong. They do not mean nothing can be done. Finding the real source of the pain is the first step toward better treatment.
It is our mission to bring real hope and transformational change to patients who would otherwise be consigned to a lifetime of medications, doctor’s visits, and suffering. We expose misaligned incentives and return the power of health to the individual. We believe empowered individuals change their communities. We use a combination of lifestyle intervention, medication management, and emerging scientific research to help our patients. When you are ready or have questions, reach out.
Medical Disclaimer: Keep in mind that the content provided is not direct medical advice for patient care, but is provided for thoughtful discussion.
Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP
