Fast Facts
Most people
report having low back problems at some time in their lives. It is estimated
that four out of five people have major back pain during their lives.
- Statistics show that among the general
United States population, 15-20 percent of people report back pain symptoms.
That percentage rises to 50 percent for those of working age.
- Back symptoms are the most common cause
of disability for persons younger than 45 years of age.
- At any given time, about 1 percent of
the U.S. population is chronically disabled because of back problems and another
1 percent is temporarily disabled.
- Annually, approximately 175 million
workdays are lost to chronic back pain per year, resulting in a $20 billion
loss of productivity.
- After headache, low back pain is the
most common painful condition.
- Although the total cost to society of low back problems is difficult to calculate, it is estimated that the annual
cost runs between $20 billion and $50 billion. This estimation does not include
non-monetary costs of low back problems that can also be substantial. The
inability to function normally at work and in other daily activities affects
both patients and their families.
- Bed rest and over-the-counter medicine is
often the first thing a person should do for simple backache or over work.
However, any more than three or four days in bed can be detrimental.
- Typically, if a person is out-of-work
for more than two years due to back pain, the chances he or she will return to
work is only 2 percent. However, certain treatments such as spinal cord
stimulation, if carefully chosen for the right indication, can increase the
return-to-work rate. The most successful treatment, in terms of returning
individuals to work, is comprehensive rehabilitative treatment, organized by
pain rehabilitation centers, which "package" different treatments together.
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