Effectiveness of Treatments
A comprehensive review of 301 trials found that only about 10% of treatments for lower back pain are effective, with many offering benefits barely above placebo levels.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) showed effectiveness for acute pain, while exercise, spinal manipulation, and antidepressants among others had modest effects for chronic pain.
Calls for Further Research
Researchers highlighted the need for more high-quality, placebo-controlled trials to better understand the efficacy of back pain treatments, due to many treatments having inconclusive evidence.
Dr. Stephen Clark emphasized the importance of multimodal treatments tailored to individual patient experiences, given the complex nature of pain.