Approximately 100 million adults are affected by chronic pain, with economic costs of medical care and lost productivity estimated at $550 billion annually, according to Relieving Pain in America. However, there may be good news physically and financially for chronic back pain sufferers: a recent study by researchers in Denmark and the U.K. found a dose of antibiotics cured 40% of back pain cases.
More specifically, an association between long-term back pain and Propionibacterium acnes (Yep, the same bacteria that causes acne infection.) was found in a two-part study, published in the European Spine Journal. This potential link could possibly replace surgery with antibiotics.
The first part of the study found that nearly half of all patients with slipped discs tested positive for bacterial infection, with most cases involving the acne-causing bug. Apparently this enemy of the face can easily get into the bloodstream, which is normally not a big deal. However, when a slipped disk is involved, it’s basically welcoming the bacterium in with open arms and free range to cause inflammation and bully surrounding vertebrae, says Hanne B. Albert PT, MPH, PhD, of The Back Research Centre at the University of Southern Denmark and lead researcher of the study of 61 participants. She believes this is probably the cause of up to 40% of chronic back pain cases.
In the second part, 162 volunteers with chronic back pain (chronic meaning more than six months) and slipped disks were recruited by researchers. Over 100 days, half of the participants were given a placebo, while the other half was given Amoxicillin and clavulanate, which is typically administered with the former to overcome certain types of antibiotic resistance. The pills proved effective at significantly reducing disability and pain in 80% of patients, the authors wrote.
Previously, experts believed bacterial infections only played a minor role in back pain. However, before you head to your doctor and demand a prescription, it is worth noting a few things. The study involved only those who had previously had surgery to repair a slipped disc. Furthermore, this isn’t a cure all; there are dozens of reasons for back pain that do not fall under this category. This is just one finding about one bacterium. And the sample size of these studies are small. Finally, the British Medical Journal published a letter questioning the authors’ intentions of this research since they had recently created a website that promotes MAST— Modic Antibiotic Spinal Therapy; though Dr. Albert and colleagues declared to the European Spine Journal they had no competing interests.
So, we’ll stay on the lookout for further research and file this one under, “Awesome…if true.”
