According to the National Institutes of Health and Dr. Michael S. Wilkes of the Western Journal of Medicine, “Despite a plethora of research intended to guide physicians in their management of back pain, physicians still hold strong non-evidence based beliefs dating back to the 19th century.”\u00a0 What beliefs is Dr. Wilkes referring to?\u00a0 He\u2019s talking about the long-held conventional wisdom that says bed rest is one of the best ways to treat back pain.<\/p>\n

And it turns out that physicians aren\u2019t the only ones who hold \u201cstrong non-evidence based beliefs\u201d about how back pain should be treated.\u00a0 One study, according to the Daily Mail<\/em>, found that 35% of people thought bed rest is the best way to handle such aches and pains. The study included 1,000 people from 25\u201365 years of age.<\/p>\n

So why are many doctors so quick to prescribe bed rest?\u00a0 And why are so many patients inclined to comply?\u00a0 Simple\u2014pain avoidance.\u00a0 Certainly our minds are part of the feedback loop in any therapy, especially where intense pain is involved. Dr. Michael Vagg, Clinical Senior Lecturer at Deakin University School of Medicine has pointed out that the mind’s expectation of pain “can itself cause protective movements to persist for longer than necessary.” \u00a0Thus, the tendency to use bed rest as a solution.<\/p>\n

The Evidence Against Bed Rest<\/strong><\/p>\n

For most types of back pain, there is powerful evidence that extended bed rest does not help. One study showed that when comparing routine care, bed rest and exercise, bed rest seemed to result in greater intensity of pain, greater disability and more work days lost. Exercise had the most favorable outcome. According to Wilkes, “14 of 18 controlled studies do report that active exercise can improve outcomes.”<\/p>\n

Short-term bed rest can be helpful to reduce painful muscle spasms when such spasms are an attempt for the body to limit movement in an injured part of the body. \u00a0However, bed rest restricts the spine’s motion and, unlike other body parts, spines require motion in order to get nutrients to stay healthy. \u00a0Restricted movement can result in lost strength and can make it harder for the spine to recover.\u00a0 When the patient is experiencing their most acute back pain, they may need to temporarily change their routine, but the majority of such patients should minimize bed rest and return to their normal routine as soon as possible. Exercise can help produce better results and quicken the healing process.<\/p>\n

Part of a Broader Pattern<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the outdated (and ill-advised) bed rest recommendation is part of a broader pattern that some healthcare observers believe they see in the treatment of back pain.\u00a0 Dr. Bruce Landon, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School, and a team of researchers have found that many medical doctors ignore expert clinical guidelines when it comes to treating back pain.\u00a0 And the results aren\u2019t limited to inappropriate guidance about bed rest.\u00a0 They include unnecessary medical imaging, needless exposure to addictive painkillers and surgeries that are often risky, expensive and ultimately ineffective.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, a study published in the September 2014 edition of the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association found that chiropractors, physical therapists and medical doctors have very different rates of adherence to current evidence-based practice guidelines as they relate to treating nonspecific back pain.\u00a0 Their analysis found that medical doctors follow such guidelines only 52% of the time, compared with 62% for physical therapists and 73% for chiropractic physicians.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re suffering from acute or chronic back pain, it\u2019s important to seek out the best evidence-based treatment you can find.\u00a0 Chiropractors are experts in diagnosing and treating health conditions that affect the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, especially those that involve the back and the neck.\u00a0 Chiropractic treatment has been shown in studies to be both safe and effective.\u00a0 Plus, chiropractic patients have consistently reported high levels of satisfaction with the results as well as the experience.<\/p>\n

If you or someone you care about is suffering from back pain, there\u2019s help available.\u00a0 Remember\u2014you have options!\u00a0 We encourage you to call or visit our office today!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

According to the National Institutes of Health and Dr. Michael S. Wilkes of the Western Journal of Medicine, “Despite a plethora of research intended to guide physicians in their management of back pain, physicians still hold strong non-evidence based beliefs dating back to the 19th century.”\u00a0 What beliefs is Dr. Wilkes referring to?\u00a0 He\u2019s talking about the long-held conventional wisdom that says bed rest is one of the best ways to treat back pain. And it turns out that physicians…<\/p>\n

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