Australian chronic pain treatments struggle, with ineffective and risky options, while cost-effective alternatives remain limited.
The Australian health system struggles with addressing chronic pain, affecting one in five Australians aged 45+, which costs $139bn annually. Current treatments like strong painkillers and surgeries are often ineffective and risky, while cost-effective, low-risk alternatives like physical, psychological, or multidisciplinary interventions are not widely available. Two recent Australian trials show these alternatives can lead to significant pain and function improvements for chronic low back pain sufferers.
April 11, 2024
4 Articles