Education for Chronic Lower Back Pain

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Recruiting

Sponsor: Northwestern University

Disqualifiers: Specific diagnosis, Non-English speakers

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The investigative team will provide 27 slides with bullet points and images of pain referral patterns for different causes (e.g., herniated disc, facet joint arthritis) for patients seen for a new visit with a chief complaint of chronic low back pain. This material is all publicly available but has been compiled in presentation form. This will have educational benefit for patients, discussing clinical signs and symptoms, risk factors and basic treatments. There will also be a smaller control group of that gets a condensed 4-slide presentation. After review of the slides, an independent observer will ask the patient what they think are the 2 most likely causes of their LBP (in order of likelihood) and match that with the attending physician and trainee, who will independently do the same. The investigative team will then determine how concordant the patient's answers are with the physicians and also record outcomes.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of this treatment for chronic lower back pain?

Research shows that education programs can help people with chronic lower back pain by improving their quality of life and encouraging them to stay active, which can be beneficial for managing pain. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is education for chronic lower back pain safe for humans?

The research does not report any specific safety concerns related to education for chronic lower back pain, suggesting it is generally safe for humans. ^{1 5 6 7 8}

How does the educational treatment for chronic lower back pain differ from other treatments?

The educational treatment for chronic lower back pain focuses on teaching patients about managing their condition through knowledge and behavior changes, rather than using medications or physical therapies. This approach can improve outcomes by enhancing patients' understanding of pain management and reducing the need for frequent doctor visits, making it a cost-effective option. ^{1 5 6 9 10}

Research Team

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals experiencing chronic low back pain who are visiting a doctor for the first time about this issue. Participants should be able to review educational material and communicate their thoughts on the cause of their pain.

Inclusion Criteria

I have had lower back pain for more than 3 months.

My main issue is lower back pain or sciatica.

I am older than 18 years.

Exclusion Criteria

Inability to understand written English

Referral for a specific diagnostic procedure or who present with a pre-established diagnosis

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Education and Diagnosis

Participants receive educational slides on back pain and self-diagnose their condition

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Participants receive treatments such as injections, medications, or physical therapy based on their diagnosis

4-12 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Control (Behavioral Intervention)
• Education (Behavioral Intervention)

Trial Overview The study tests if patients can identify the source of their low back pain after reviewing an educational presentation with images and information. Their self-diagnosis will be compared to physicians' assessments.

Participant Groups

Group I: Education Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Educational initiative on back pain

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Control initiative (non-comprehensive overview)

Find a Clinic Near You

Research Locations Nearby Select from list below to view details:

Northwestern University Pain Management Center Chicago, IL

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Northwestern University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1674

Patients Recruited

989,000+

Findings from Research

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Individual Patient Education for Managing Acute and/or Subacute Low Back Pain: Little Additional Benefit for Pain and Function Compared to Placebo. A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Piano, L., Ritorto, V., Vigna, I., et al.[2022]

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Middle-term effects of education programme in chronic low back pain patients to an adherence to physical activity: A randomized controlled trial. Janik, F., Fabre, C., Seichepine, AL., et al.[2023]

A cognitive patient education intervention for low back pain patients led to a faster improvement in their illness perceptions compared to usual care, as shown in a study involving 203 patients followed for up to 12 months.

While the intervention showed significant benefits for illness perceptions, it did not result in improvements in other psychological outcomes or quality of life measures, indicating the need for further research to explore its full impact.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of individualized quality of life and illness perceptions in low back pain. A patient education cluster randomized controlled trial. Løchting, I., Storheim, K., Werner, EL., et al.[2022]

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Education With Therapeutic Alliance Did Not Improve Symptoms in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain and Low Risk of Poor Prognosis Compared to Education Without Therapeutic Alliance: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Miyamoto, GC., Fagundes, FRC., de Melo do Espírito Santo, C., et al.[2021]

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Back pain: lessons from patient education. Nordin, M.[2019]

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Systematic Review to Inform a World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Practice Guideline: Benefits and Harms of Structured and Standardized Education or Advice for Chronic Primary low back pain in Adults. Southerst, D., Hincapié, CA., Yu, H., et al.[2023]

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"Myths and Facts" Education Is Comparable to "Facts Only" for Recall of Back Pain Information but May Improve Fear-Avoidance Beliefs: An Embedded Randomized Trial. Viana da Silva, P., Kamper, SJ., Robson, E., et al.[2022]

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Information and advice to patients with back pain can have a positive effect. A randomized controlled trial of a novel educational booklet in primary care. Burton, AK., Waddell, G., Tillotson, KM., et al.[2022]

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Back school or pamphlet education: which is best for industry? Symonds, T.[2014]

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Efficacy and Effectiveness of Education for Preventing and Treating Non-Specific Low Back Pain in the Hispanic Cultural Setting: A Systematic Review. Kovacs, FM., Burgos-Alonso, N., Martín-Nogueras, AM., et al.[2022]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Individual Patient Education for Managing Acute and/or Subacute Low Back Pain: Little Additional Benefit for Pain and Function Compared to Placebo. A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. [2022]

2. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Middle-term effects of education programme in chronic low back pain patients to an adherence to physical activity: A randomized controlled trial. [2023]

3. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of individualized quality of life and illness perceptions in low back pain. A patient education cluster randomized controlled trial. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Education With Therapeutic Alliance Did Not Improve Symptoms in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain and Low Risk of Poor Prognosis Compared to Education Without Therapeutic Alliance: A Randomized Controlled Trial. [2021]

5. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Back pain: lessons from patient education. [2019]

6. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Systematic Review to Inform a World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Practice Guideline: Benefits and Harms of Structured and Standardized Education or Advice for Chronic Primary low back pain in Adults. [2023]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"Myths and Facts" Education Is Comparable to "Facts Only" for Recall of Back Pain Information but May Improve Fear-Avoidance Beliefs: An Embedded Randomized Trial. [2022]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Information and advice to patients with back pain can have a positive effect. A randomized controlled trial of a novel educational booklet in primary care. [2022]

9. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Back school or pamphlet education: which is best for industry? [2014]

10. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Efficacy and Effectiveness of Education for Preventing and Treating Non-Specific Low Back Pain in the Hispanic Cultural Setting: A Systematic Review. [2022]