Back pain: Overview

Woman with back pain

Pain in the back

Pain can occur anywhere down the back1:

  • Pain in the region between the base of the neck to the bottom of the ribcage is classified as upper and middle back pain.
  • Pain between the bottom of the ribcage and top of the legs is known as lower back pain.

Back pain affects most people at some point in their lives. Lower back pain is a particularly common problem in need of a solution.1

The underlying causes of back pain can be difficult to uncover, but symptomatic relief is available.

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Back pain is highly prevalent

Back or neck pain can be disabling

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Back and neck pain can negatively affect a person's day-to-day life

Around 80% of people with back pain, lower back pain or neck pain report a significant impact of their pain on their day-to-day lives.4

Lower back pain is estimated as the most disabling condition in the world,6 and such body pain negatively impacts people’s mood and self-esteem, and makes people feel older than they are. Despite this, many people are not aware of the source of their pain – a concerning fact, given that the majority of body pain is chronic.4,5

Meet Laura and Emma

Laura

Laura

Laura, 32, is an active mother who loves to take her children swimming.

Recently, she hurt her back and cannot do as much with her family as she used to. She is having difficulty bending, twisting and reaching, which makes caring for two young children even more challenging than ever.

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Emma

Emma

Emma, 48, works as a shop assistant in a large grocery store.

She spends most of her working day on her feet and has recently been experiencing aches and twinges in her back. She can’t afford to take time off work and she is on medications for a couple of chronic conditions.

“I’m on my feet a lot, so I need a treatment that can help me stay that way,” she describes.

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Understanding back pain

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Causes

Find out about the causes of back pain.

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Signs and symptoms icon

Signs and symptoms

Explore an overview of how to recognise back pain and know when to refer patients.

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Management

Learn how back pain can be managed.

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Joint and osteoarthritic pain

Learn more about joint and osteoarthritic pain.

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Educational resources

Educational resources

Download resources for your patients.

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Patient care resources

Pain-relief resources to support your patient discussions.

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