The Future Of Health All people who’ve ever suffered from back pain are well aware of how uncomfortable it can be. Going to the nearest shop, doing your home chores, participating in sports, and even putting on your shoes — all these simple everyday tasks become almost impossible. If this pain becomes chronic, it can seriously decrease your life quality and ability to do many otherwise easy things. Moreover, it’s obvious that such a condition can severely worsen your mood, making you irritable and depressed. So, what to do to get rid of it for good? Read our article to find out!
The scale of the issue
Pain in the lower part of the back is the main cause of disability all over the world. Over 550 million patients suffer from it. According to a 2019 survey, four of ten Americans had been affected by this syndrome in the previous three months.
The main types of treatment
A review made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (printed in TheBMJ) compared the efficiency of various methods for improving the following things: functioning of the body, anxiety caused by the pain (to be more exact, fear that it can worsen), and pain severity.
According to the results of this review, usual therapy becomes much more helpful when combined with other methods such as psychological treatment and thorough learning about the issue. For example, a special education program helps to cope with fear and anxiety.
The best and most stable results were achieved when cognitive behavioral therapy was coupled with the classic treatment. This research clearly demonstrates the importance of a versatile approach to back pain healing.
What’s the use of psychological treatment?
Psychological treatment is vital because it provides relief from fear, stress, and pessimistic thoughts. It completely changes patients’ attitudes towards the problem.
The main types of psychological programs that are used against back pain include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy;
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction;
- Acceptance and commitment therapy;
- Pain reprocessing therapy;
- Biofeedback.
It’s important to note that our psyches deeply influence our bodies, so pain isn’t only a physical problem but a psychological one too. Your mood, thoughts, and feelings can ease or, vice versa, aggravate it. An optimistic view of the issue can help you overcome it, while pessimism can lead to despair and stop all attempts to heal.
So, the aforementioned methods of treatment should be applied as a whole, complementing each other.