A majority of Australian women are not seeking medical diagnosis for back pain, instead relying on over-the-counter or prescription pain medications that are proven to be largely ineffective.
This is according to new figures on spine-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from the Australian Chiropractors Association as part of National Spinal Health Week (20-26 May 2024).
In the survey, Impact of Back Pain & Musculoskeletal Injuries in Australia, there were 1,006 Australian respondents (506 female, 499 male and 1 nonbinary), and results showed over the past year, Australian women experienced higher rates of back pain than men.
Out of all the female respondents, 91.3 per cent reported have experienced back related MSD in their lifetime, with 82 per cent experiencing low back pain in the past 12 months.
This is particularly concerning, considering the findings revealed women are 36 per cent more likely than men to suffer mental health issues due to back pain and experience 26 per cent more adverse effects from their condition.
“Significantly, the survey showed nearly half (49.4 per cent) of all female MSD sufferers failed to seek a medical diagnosis. This issue was even more pronounced among women with low back pain (the most common MSD experienced by Australian women), with 61.1 per cent not seeking a medical diagnosis,” said Dr Ali Young, a chiropractor, author, Chair of ACA’s Women in Chiropractic, speaker, former Vice President (CAAWA), mother of two, with extensive experience treating and advocating for the spinal health of women.
“These figures suggest official data may under-represent the true prevalence of MSDs affecting Australian women.”
In terms of treating low back pain, Dr Young notes that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends against the commonly prescribed use of opioids and paracetamol, and yet, the survey “alarmingly” revealed that 81 per cent of of all low back pain sufferers opted to treat the symptoms with over the counter of prescription medications rather than seek drug-free treatment.
While medication can be avoided with appropriate diagnosis and treatment, of concern, is that women reported the greatest use of pain relief medication for low back pain (82.2 per cent compared to 79 per cent of men) with 14 per cent taking it daily, 13 per cent frequently and 13.5 per cent said they often used medication to relieve back pain,” she said.
The top five triggers or causes reported for Australian women’s back pain were aging (29.2 per cent), lifting/pulling/pushing (27.9 per cent), computer use at work (19.3 per cent), desk/seated work (17.7 per cent) and stress (16.6 per cent).
“The implications of unresolved back pain for women of all ages can be debilitating, restricting their ability to participate in family, social, and work activities, and have a negative impact on their mental health and overall wellbeing,” said Young.
“It’s vital sufferers seek appropriate healthcare options that not only limit the use of medications but treat the cause of their condition including recommending exercise to help prevent reoccurrence.”