Pain Experience in Individuals With Chronic Low Back Pain: a Cohort Study

Detailed Summary

Low back pain is a very common musculoskeletal condition that affects many people each year regardless of age, gender, and ethnicity. Most people get better however, some continue suffering from painful episodes despite treatment. Self-management strategies for the management of chronic low back pain are very important to patients as they help them develop skills to manage their pain more effectively. However, self-management strategies are not always effective as expected. It is possible that the brain has become very sensitive to signals coming from peripheral parts of the body (e.g. low back) affecting the ability of patients to self-manage their condition. The aim of this study is to establish whether central sensitisation (sensitivity of the brain to peripheral signals) predicts how effective self-management approaches will be. On three different occasions, scheduled sessions will include a clinical assessment session and completion of a questionnaire booklet. The clinical assessment will measure three features of central sensitisation: 1) sensitivity to blunt pressure on the forearm, 2) changes in pain, felt during repeated light pricking of the forearm skin, and 3) reduction in pain that accompanies inflation of a blood pressure cuff on the opposite arm. Participant involvement at each session is expected to last for 70 minutes. Individuals over 18, diagnosed with chronic low back pain and enlisted to follow a pain management program are eligible to participate. The clinical assessments, questionnaire completion and subsequent statistical analysis are expected to be completed within 18 months of study commencement. Based on our findings, future research may use similar clinical assessment to identify people who might be helped to self-manage by using treatment that reduces central sensitisation.

Study Details

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Interventions