The definition of chronic back pain, is pain or dysfunction that prolongs for a period of 3 continuous months.

So for the first 3 months, not releasing they are chronic the typical back pain sufferer seeks the guidance of their doctor who refers them to their practitioner, typically a physiotherapist.

The patient with patience continues seeing the same therapist for the entire 3 month period, despite not receiving any lasting results from their painful condition.

For the impatient back pain patient, they seek out different practitioners due the the lack of results they are experiencing. Physiotherapy, Chiropractic, massage, osteopathy, myotherapy, even acupuncture are all often engaged over a short period of time in a desperate attempt to remove the all consuming symptoms of early stage back pain.

Both the impatient and the patient back suffer learn in and around the 3 month mark that their diagnosis is that of a chronic back pain sufferer, not acute.

What does this mean to the patient, fed up after 3 months of pain:

• I was incorrectly diagnosed
• I have been getting the wrong treatment
• What are my options now, being told I am chronic not acute, does not offer me any guidance.

Some patients at this point go back to their doctor, who are then referred for x-rays, MRI’s.
For many, scans show little or no reason at all why they are suffering with pain, the frequent response from their doctor is that they need to learn to live with the pain. A response which clearly implies ‘I do not know what is wrong with you, the practitioners who you have seen do not know what is wrong with you - there is nothing more I can do for you, thank you for your time, next patient please.’

For some, scans do show potential reasons for their pain, and in some instances a referral to a back specialist or an orthopedic surgeon is provided by the GP.  Unless the pain is absolutely severe and or neural structures are at risk of damage, it is extremely rare that surgeons will entertain the idea of surgery after 3 months of back pain. The surgeon often times refers the patient on to another practitioner or for pilates to improve core strength.

The back specialist typically charges a near fortune only to provide little or any useful information that the back pain sufferer doesn't already know.

With the health industry completely failing the now chronic back pain sufferer the vast majority go from practitioner to practitioner in attempt to find a lasting solution to their pain. Practitioners who provide great treatment for the correctly diagnosed acute back pain sufferer, however only assist the chronic sufferer with short term symptomatic relief.   

What is clearly evident:

• There needs to be a more effective screening process to identify in the early stages what is a back condition that will be acute or chronic. Not just a time lapsed diagnosis.
• There needs to be a clearer pathway for chronic back pain sufferers.
• There needs to be more back specialists who provide a solution to back pain, as opposed to sitting behind a large desk providing unhelpful diagnoses.
• There needs to be more back pain practitioners who look outside of their current skillsets and focus on providing a lasting solution to chronic back pain.