In a 2002 survey of U.S. adults, 26 percent reported low back pain and 14 percent reported neck pain in the previous three months. Rates of imaging and therapy for back and neck problems have increased substantially in the last decade, but it is not clear how this has effected expenditures or health outcomes for individuals with these problems.
The study sampled a total of 23,045 adult respondents in 1997 (3,139 who reported spine problems) and again in 2005, sampled 22,258 respondents (3,187 who reported spine problems). It was found that expenditures were higher in each year for those with spine problems than for those without. In 1997,the average age- and sex-adjusted medical costs for respondents with spine problems was $4,695, compared with $2,731 among those without spine problems (inflation adjusted to 2005 dollars). In 2005, the average age- and sex-adjusted medical expenditures among respondents with spine problems was $6,096, compared with $3,516 among those without spine problems.
From 1997 to 2005, these trends resulted in an estimated 65 percent inflation-adjusted increase in the total national expenditure of adults with spine problems, a more rapid increase than overall health expenditures to an estimated $85.9 billion nationally One of the biggest drivers of spending was increased use of expensive painkillers. Spending on narcotic drugs for back pain soared an astonishing 423% during the period.
The estimated proportion of persons with back or neck problems who self-reported physical functioning limitations increased from 20.7 percent to 24.7 percent from 1997 to 2005. Adjusted self-reported measures of mental health, physical functioning, work or school limitations, and social limitations among adults with spine problems were worse in 2005 than in 1997. “These data suggest that spine problems are expensive, due both to large numbers of affected persons and to high costs per person. We did not observe improvements in health outcomes commensurate with the increasing costs over time. Spine problems may offer opportunities to reduce expenditures without associated worsening of clinical outcomes,” the authors conclude. (JAMA. 2008;299[6]:656-664).
Pharmacotherapy plays an important role in LBP treatment, although drug cost data in LBP is limited. Newer, more costly agents such cyclooxengenase-2 selective nonsterioidal anti-inflammatory agents will increase drug costs as a portion of total costs, particularly if not used in accordance with treatment guidelines. (Asche CV. Kirkness CS. McAdam-Marx C. Fritz JM. The societal costs of low back pain: data published between 2001 and 2007. Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy. 21(4):25-33, 2007).
eToims® Twitch Relief Method provides nerve related muscle pain relief with state-of-the-art noninvasive, surface electrical stimulation to excite deep neuromuscular junctions. The twitches elicited provide internal stretch to the deep muscle layers so that there will be removal/reduction of traction/compression/distortion of pain sensitive structures such as nerves and blood vessels within tight shortened muscles, annulus fibrosus of intervertebral discs, periosteum and synovial tissue within joints. The twitch induced intramuscular exercise also help in bringing fresh circulation and help heal irritated nerves and muscles and also help in the out flow of pain causing chemicals within blood stagnated at the injured site due to inability of tight and short muscles to contract.
Depending on the duration of pain and extent of nerve damage, there is potential for cure with eToims® Twitch Relief Method. With more long-standing severe pain continuation of treatments on a regular basis provide ongoing pain relief and pain reduction with improvement in quality-of-life.