What if the key to lasting relief from chronic back pain lay in a comprehensive approach, far from the one-size-fits-all solutions?
In this podcast episode of 15-18 from Radio-Canada, Dr. Anne Marie Pinard—Head of the Chronic Pain Service at CHU de Québec–Université Laval, Full Professor at Université Laval, and member of the RQRD—comments on a New York Times article highlighting the limited effectiveness of isolated treatments for chronic back pain. She emphasizes the importance of a multimodal approach, combining education, self-management, medication adjustments, injections, rehabilitation, and psychological support to achieve lasting results.
Chronic pain—defined as pain persisting for at least three months—affects one in five Canadians. Low back pain accounts for a large portion of these cases, and in 80% of them, the pain is considered non-specific, meaning no single identifiable cause can be found. This makes treatment more complex and reinforces the need for comprehensive care.
Dr. Pinard stresses the importance of taking action between pain episodes to promote physical activity, adjust lifestyle habits, and prevent relapses. Several rehabilitation professionals can support this process by offering self-management strategies that go beyond medication alone.
