Smoking 'increases risk of chronic back pain'

Conclusion This longitudinal study found sub-acute back pain was three times more likely to progress to persistent back pain in smokers. The researchers presented functional MRI findings, which indicated brain pathways that could be involved in this process. But further research will be required to fully understand the mechanisms at play. The study did not find that smoking provided any pain relief, and indeed the pain intensity did not increase for those people who stopped smoking. The study sample was quite small, meaning the results may not be applicable to larger and more diverse groups of people. As such, the results are not conclusive and should not be taken at face value. The general advice for the early management of lower back pain is: to continue normal activities as far as possible to stay physically active and exercise within your capabilities if medication is required, start with paracetamol and then consider other options, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, with appropriate stomach protection While this research is not conclusive, there are many health benefits associated with stopping smoking that have a large and robust evidence base, such as a reduced risk of lung cancer and heart disease. Read more advice about effective methods known to help many smokers quit. Analysis by Bazian. Edited by NHS Choices. Follow Behind the Headlines on Twitter. Join the Healthy Evidence forum. Links To The Head...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Lifestyle/exercise Source Type: news