Psychological and Social Factors of BACK PAIN

Psychological factors are known to play a strong influential role in three phases of low back pain:

• Some evidence suggests preexisting depression and the inability to cope may be more likely to predict the onset of pain than physical problems. A "passive" coping style (not wanting to confront problems) was strongly associated with the risk of developing disabling neck or low back pain.
• Social and psychological factors, as well as job satisfaction, all play a role in the severity of a person's perception of back pain. For example, one study compared truck drivers and bus drivers. Nearly all the truck drivers liked their work. Half of them reported low back pain but only 24% lost time at work. Bus drivers, on the other hand, reported much lower job satisfaction than truck drivers, and these workers with back pain had a significantly higher absentee rate than truck drivers in spite of less stress on their backs. Similarly, another study found that pilots, who generally reported "loving their jobs," reported far fewer back problems than their flight crews. And yet another study reported that low rank, low social support, and high stress in soldiers was associated with a higher risk for disabling back pain.
• Depression and a tendency to develop physical complaints in response to stress also increase the likelihood that acute back pain will become a chronic condition. The way a patient perceives and copes with pain at the beginning of an acute attack may actually condition the patient to either recover or develop a chronic condition. Those who over-respond to pain and fear for their long-term outlook tend to feel out of control and become discouraged, increasing their risk for long-term problems.

Studies also suggest that patients who reported prolonged emotional distress have less favorable outcomes after back surgeries. It should be strongly noted that the presence of psychological factors in no way diminishes the reality of the pain and its disabling effects. Recognizing this presence as a strong player in many cases of low back pain, however, can help determine the full range of treatment options.