Do you suffer sleepless nights due to pain in lower back? A new study has found that lower back pain can be the biggest cause of disability.
In a study based on data of ill health and disability arising from all health conditions in 187 countries, the researchers found that the prevalence and the overall impact of the pain conditions increases with age. The authors base their findings on data for the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study.
One of the researcher said, “With ageing populations throughout the world, but especially in low and middle income countries, the number of people living with lower back pain will increase substantially over coming decades.”
The researchers analysed the incidence, remission, duration, and risk of death associated with lower back pain in 117 research works. The researchers also surveyed five countries about the impact of acute and severe chronic lower back pain with and without leg pain; and data from national health surveys in many countries. Then they assessed the toll taken by low back pain in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALYs).
The researchers combined the number of years of life lost as a result of early death and the number of years lived with disability.
Lower back pain topped the list of all 291 conditions studied in the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study in terms of years lost to disability and sixth in terms of disability adjusted life years.
The study was published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
