The retrospective study was performed to evaluate the effect of conservative treatment in 235 patients (Male:102, Female: 133), aging form 14 to 79, with low back pain.
The effect of conservative treatment was analyzed with use of pain behavior scale, pain self-assessment scale, and functional scale by American Rheumatism Association in according to diagnostic category, cause, and occupation.
The results were as follows:
1) The diagnoses were muscle strain (83 cases, 35.3%), herniated nucleus pulposus (59 cases, 25.1%), postural factor (58cases, 24.7%), spondylosis (20cases, 8.5%), spondylolysis and/or spondylolisthesis (15cases, 6.4%).
2) The causes were abnormal posture (87cases, 37.0%), trauma (43cases, 18.3%), unknown (38cases, 16.2%), heavy lifting (31cases, 13.2%), degenerative change (29cases, 12.3%), and psychologic factor (7cases, 3.0%).
3) The occupations were desking job (86cases, 36.6%), house wife (83cases, 35.3%), standing job (27cases, 11.5%), and labor (19cases, 8.1%).
4) X-ray findings showed straightening in 81.9% of strain, space narrowing in 88.1% of herniated nucleus pulposus, increase L-S angle in 100% of postural factor, and anterior displacement of line of thrust in 67% of postural factor.
5) Electrodiagnostic study was done in 60 cases, showed positive finding in 97.7% and computerized tomography was done in 42 cases, showed positive finding in 89.7% and myelogram was done in 38 cases, showed positive finding in 89.7%.
6) The treatment duration was 14.5 days in postural factor, 29.5 days in herniated nucleus pulposus, and 23.6 days in average.
7) The pain due to abnormal posture (87 cases, 37.0%), classified by cause, was reduced from 1.53 to 2.82 in pain behavior scale, 10 to 4.64 in pain self-assessment scale, and to 1.99 in functional scale.
8) The pain in desking job (86 cases, 36.6%), classified by occupation, was reduced from 1.50 to 2.85 in pain behavior scale, 10 to 4.47 in pain self-assessment scale, and to 2.03 in functional scale.
9) The pain due to strain (83 cases, 35.3%), classified by diagnostic category, was reduced from 0.64 to 2.72 in pain behavior scale, 10 to 4.88 in pain self-assessment scale, and to 1.97 in functional scale.
10) The pain due to herniated nucleus pulposus (59 cases, 25.1%), classified by diagnostic category, was reduced from 1.29 to 2.54 in pain behavior scale, 10 to 5.64 in pain self-assessment scale, and to 2.37 in functional scale.
11) Totally, the pain was reduced from 1.52 to 2.75 in pain behavior scale, 10 to 4.88 in pain self-assessment scale, and to 2.10 in functional scale.
