Psychosocial Differences Between High‐Risk Acute vs. Chronic Low Back Pain Patients

Abstract

The present study was designed to evaluate the relative degree and type of emotional distress in high-risk acute low back pain (ALBP) subjects (defined as less than 3 months since initial injury) vs. high-risk chronic low back pain (CLBP) subjects (defined as greater than 3 months since initial injury). It is an extension of earlier findings that demonstrated the significant role that such emotional distress may play in the development of CLBP disability if not appropriately treated in the acute phase. This work stems from a conceptual three-stage model, which characterizes the progression from acute to chronic pain. Several psychosocial measures were administered that included information allowing for the classification of subjects as high-risk based upon an earlier developed screening algorithm. The ANCOVA procedure in SPSS was used to compare groups, controlling for gender, ethnicity, and age. Results revealed that CLBP subjects had higher rates of certain measures of emotional distress and depression relative to ALBP subjects. These findings further support the importance of effectively managing emotional distress factors early, when treating musculoskeletal disorders such as low back pain.

Accuracy of the Modified Somatic Perception Questionnaire and Pain Disability Index in the Detection of Malingered Pain-Related Disability in Chronic Pain

“…One limitation is that the current sample may not be representative of all pain patients. This sample was composed of patients with chronic pain (patients who have not recovered 6 months after the injury), a type of pain episode that has been linked to emotional distress (Gatchel, Polatin, & Mayer, 1995;Gatchel, Bernstein, Stowell, & Pransky, 2008). Thus, the cutoffs related to this study might not generalize to patients with acute or recurrent pain conditions.…”

Chronic Pain and DepressionAmong Primary Care Patients Treated with Buprenorphine

“…We divided our sample into three clinically relevant groups-those with no chronic pain, those with mild chronic pain, and those with moderate-severe chronic pain-as more severe chronic pain has a greater impact on quality of life in general population samples. [41][42][43] We hypothesized that there would be an association between more severe chronic pain and: 1) depression and increased use of antidepressant medication and counseling; 2) increased use of non-opioid pain medications; and 3) use of a substance (marijuana, alcohol or cocaine) to manage pain.…”

Effects of Therapeutic Ultrasound on Pain, Disability, Walking Performance, Quality of Life, and Depression in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized, Placebo Controlled Trial

“…It has been found that emotional disorders and depression are more frequent in patients with CLBP compared to patients with acute LBP (31). The effects of pharmacologic treatment, psychotherapy, exercise, and combined physical therapy on pain, disability, and depression in patients with CLBP have been evaluated in several studies (32,33).…”