Study Clarifies the Link Between Financial Distress and Back Pain

Financial Problems May Be a Reason for Not Receiving Treatment

A new British study has linked lower back pain to a person's financial situation, and considered that older people who suffer from financial problems are more likely to suffer from chronic and persistent back pain due to their inability to receive treatment.

According to the British Daily Mail, this new study, published in the scientific journal BMC, comes amid local government figures indicating that 9 million people in the United Kingdom suffer from back pain, in addition to 30% of the elderly suffering from some type of chronic pain.

5,000 participants in the study

British researchers from the Universities of Oxford and Exeter discovered that people who express concern about their financial situation are twice as likely to suffer from long-term pain compared to those with a higher income.

They reached this conclusion after a study that included more than 5,000 people over the age of 65 in Britain.

During the research, it was found that all participants suffered from back pain when the study began. But after two years, those with the greatest financial burden were more likely to report persistent severe pain.

People with lower incomes were also less likely to seek medical treatment or take part in regular exercise, which is an effective way to manage back pain.

The relationship between income and back pain

Overall, the study found that nearly four in five participants were still experiencing pain at the end of the study, regardless of their financial situation.

Of these, a third said the pain was “moderately bothersome”. More than one in 10 said they had back pain that affected their ability to perform daily tasks.

The researchers also found that people who had negative attitudes towards exercise later in life were more likely to experience persistent back pain.

Tolerating lower back pain

“People put up with back pain because they think it’s a common symptom of getting older, but that doesn’t have to be the case,” says Dr Esther Williamson, a back pain expert at the University of Oxford, who was part of the research team.

“We know that people from low socio-economic backgrounds with back pain face a greater burden and are less likely to access treatment. They are also less likely to access exercise classes that help manage pain,” she adds.