‘Minor Ailments’ Not Always Minor, Australia

‘Minor Ailments’ Not Always Minor, Australia
AMA Vice President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that calls by the self-medication industry for pharmacists to treat so-called ‘minor ailments’ such as coughs, colds, sore throats and back pain instead of doctors could put people with these ailments at risk of more serious health problems. Dr Hambleton said that minor ailments are not always minor. “Respiratory tract infections and back pain are often precursors to more serious conditions and require proper diagnosis,” Dr Hambleton said. “Doctors are skilled in diagnosis, pharmacists aren’t… (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

The effectiveness of the McKenzie method in addition to first-line care for acute low back pain: a randomized controlled trial

The effectiveness of the McKenzie method in addition to first-line care for acute low back pain: a randomized controlled trial
Conclusions: When added to the currently recommended first-line care of acute low back pain, a treatment programme based on the McKenzie method does not produce appreciable additional short-term improvements in pain, disability, function or global perceived effect. However, the McKenzie method seems to reduce health utilization although it does not reduce patient’s risk of developing persistent symptoms.Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12605000032651 (Source: BMC Medicine)

People with low back pain who have externalised beliefs need to see greater improvements in symptoms to consider exercises worthwhile: an observational study.

People with low back pain who have externalised beliefs need to see greater improvements in symptoms to consider exercises worthwhile: an observational study.
Conclusion: Patients with low back pain who have externalised beliefs and agree more strongly with the notion that others are responsible for their condition report higher estimates of smallest worthwhile effect of an active intervention such as motor control exercise than patients who do not have externalised beliefs. PMID: 19929770 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Australian Journal of Physiotherapy)

Vertebral fracture rare cause of low back pain

Vertebral fracture rare cause of low back pain
Vertebral fracture is the most common serious undiagnosed condition among patients with acute low back pain, Australian study findings show. (Source: MedWire News - Bone Health)

PCPs are front line defense in diagnosing serious illness in patients with acute lower back pain

PCPs are front line defense in diagnosing serious illness in patients with acute lower back pain
(Wiley-Blackwell) A study by researchers at the George Institute for International Health in Australia found that it is rare for patients presenting to PCPs with acute lower back pain to have previously undiagnosed serious diseases. The most common serious disease cause documented was vertebral fracture, with half of the cases identified at the time of initial consultation. Full findings appear in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Prevalence of and screening for serious spinal pathology in patients presenting to primary care settings with acute low back pain

Prevalence of and screening for serious spinal pathology in patients presenting to primary care settings with acute low back pain
To determine the prevalence of serious pathology in patients presenting to primary care settings with acute low back pain, and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of recommended “red flag” screening questions.An inception cohort of 1,172 consecutive patients receiving primary care for acute low back pain was recruited from primary care clinics in Sydney, Australia. At the initial consultation, clinicians recorded responses to 25 red flag questions and then provided an initial diagnosis. The reference standard was a 12-month followup supplemented with a specialist review of a random subsample of participants.There were 11 cases (0.9%) of serious pathology, including 8 cases of fracture. Despite the low prevalence of serious pathology, most patients (80.4%) had at least 1 red flag (median 2,…

For Patients With Acute Lower Back Pain, PCPs Are Front Line Defense In Diagnosing Serious Illness

For Patients With Acute Lower Back Pain, PCPs Are Front Line Defense In Diagnosing Serious Illness
A study by researchers at The George Institute for International Health in Australia found that it is rare for patients presenting to PCPs with acute lower back pain to have previously undiagnosed serious diseases. The most common serious disease cause documented was vertebral fracture, with half of the cases identified at the time of initial consultation. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Mesoblast Limited (ASX:MSB) Proprietary Stem Cells Successfully Repair/Regenerate Damaged Intervertebral Disc Cartilage

Mesoblast Limited (ASX:MSB) Proprietary Stem Cells Successfully Repair/Regenerate Damaged Intervertebral Disc Cartilage
Australia’s regenerative medicine company, Mesoblast Limited (ASX:MSB)(PINK:MBLTY), today announced highly successful preclinical trial results of its adult stem cells in the treatment of degenerative intervertebral disc disease, the leading cause of low back pain. (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

A randomized controlled trial of tai chi for long-term low back pain (TAI CHI): Study rationale, design, and methods.

A randomized controlled trial of tai chi for long-term low back pain (TAI CHI): Study rationale, design, and methods.
This study will be the first trial in this area and the information on its effectiveness will allow patients, clinicians and treatment funders to make informed choices regarding this treatment.Trial Registration:This trial has been registered with Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. ACTRN12608000270314 (Source: BioMed Central)

Low back pain status in elite and semi-elite Australian football codes: a cross-sectional survey of football (soccer), Australian-Rules, rugby league, rugby union and non-athletic controls

Low back pain status in elite and semi-elite Australian football codes: a cross-sectional survey of football (soccer), Australian-Rules, rugby league, rugby union and non-athletic controls
Background: Our understanding of the effects of football code participation on low back pain (LBP) is limited. It is unclear whether LBP is more prevalent in athletic populations or differs between levels of competition. Thus it was the aim of this study to document and compare the prevalence, intensity, quality and frequency of LBP between elite and semi-elite male Australian football code participants and a non-athletic group. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of elite and semi-elite male Australian football code participants and a non-athletic group was performed. Participants completed a self-reported questionnaire incorporating the Quadruple Visual Analogue Scale (QVAS) and McGill Pain Questionnaire (short form) (MPQ-SF), along with additional questions adapted from an Australian epid…

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