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ABC News
Medical
researchers in Nottingham have found that giving x-rays
to people with lower back pain can appear to worsen the
outcome.
The
British Medical Journal reports that sufferers who had been
given radiography felt more pain for longer and suggests
that expectations about medical treatment have a lot to
do with patient experience.
The
study tracked two groups of patients - 421 in all - who
had had lower back pain for over six weeks. One group was
given radiography, the other was not.
Researchers
found that after three months, patients who had initially
received the radiography did not receive any clinical benefit.
Indeed they reported having more pain for longer, reduced
functioning and overall poorer heath status.
In current
medical practice, most doctors routinely send patients who
have suffered from lower back pain to have radiography.
This is partly to reassure themselves, but also to reassure
the patient.
However
some practioners prefer clinical rather than radiological
findings for diagnosis and treatment.
The
group not given radiography also reported being more satisfied
with the care they received. The authors suggest radiography
reinforces or encourages the patient’s belief that
they are unwell and may lead to a greater reporting of pain
and limitation of actvities.
The
authors said their study shows that radiography should not
be given to patients suffering lower back pain unless serious
spinal disease is suspected.
Australian
Physiotherapy Association spokesperson Trudy Rebbeck said
the results were not surprising. "It’s quite possible
that having an x-ray can encourage a patient to feel more
unwell." she said.
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