Suffering from back pain? Then you are more likely to die at an early age: Study

A team of researchers from the university of Sydney has found that back pain victims are 13 percent more likely to die at an early age. Back pain is the leading cause of disability and affects 700 million people annually.

Back pain is estimated to affect four out of five people at some point in time in their lives with major attributes being lifting heavy weights and bending awkwardly.

The researchers examined the death records of 4390 twins aged over 70. They assessed the link between spinal pain and death rates in these individuals.  As the study involved

twins it ruled out the possibility of shared genetic factors which was controlled in the analysis.

Recent research also found that commonly prescribed drugs such as paracetamol and other inflammatory drugs are ineffective against back pain and are commonly associated with side effects. However, the best treatment is following a healthy lifestyle and through stretching and exercising.

Also Read: 5 Best Home remedies to Treat Lower Back Pain

The current study is valuable in the sense, it provided the direct correlation between spinal pain and death and require further investigation. The study follows earlier studies wherein people who suffer from depression are more than 60 percent likely to suffer from lower back pain.

Researchers opine that policy makers must be aware to recognize back pain as serious health issue and elderly people have to be screened for back pain as it is likely to impact people's longevity and quality of life.

source