Back pain is incredibly common, as more than 90 percent of people will deal with acute or chronic back pain at some point in their life. So while back pain is common, it doesn’t mean that any old one-size-fits-all treatment will cut it. In fact, researchers actually found the opposite to be true. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the importance of connecting with a pain management specialist if you want to put an end to your back pain.

Patient-Specific Care Key For Combating Back Pain

Although general back pain is common, the underlying condition that you are dealing with is highly unique. Nobody else is experiencing exactly the same type of back pain, so we shouldn’t just assume that a singular type of treatment will work for everyone.

That theory was at the heart of a recent meta-analysis published in the Journal of Pain. For the study, researchers looked at the data from 58 randomized trails involving over 10,000 individuals suffering from chronic low back pain throughout the world. When looking closer at the data, researchers scoured to learn more about treatment techniques and whether an individual was treated with a conventional form of treatment or a more individualized care plan. In this instance, individualized meant things like personal coaching, targeted physical therapy, and professionally-guided patient care techniques.

According to the study, patients who received individualized therapy for their chronic back pain were much more likely to experience successful treatment results. The success rate for pain alleviation was 38 percent greater in the individualized group compared to conventional treatment techniques. As you might imagine, individualized attention may require more professional resources and effort, but researchers say it’s worth it.

“The higher effort required for individual treatment is worthwhile because patients benefit to an extent that is clinically important,” said lead author Dr. Johannes Fleckenstein from the Institute of Sport Sciences at Goethe University Frankfurt.

Researchers took the study even one step further. They also compared treatment success when combining individualized techniques with a talk therapy technique known as cognitive behavioral therapy. By giving patients individualized attention and talking with them about personal ways to handle and cope with pain, researchers found that treatment was 84 percent more effective than conventional back pain treatment.

If you are dealing with back pain or a similar chronic pain condition, it’s imperative that you seek out a professional and get individualized advice instead of just trying some generic exercises that you find on the internet. We pride ourselves on giving each patient the time and attention they need to overcome their physical pain, and we know we can to the same for you, and the research backs up this individualized approach! For more information, or to connect with a specialist to have a conversation about your pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.