In this podcast episode of 15-18 from Radio-Canada, Dr. Anne Marie Pinard\u2014Head of the Chronic Pain Service at CHU de Qu\u00e9bec\u2013Universit\u00e9 Laval, Full Professor at Universit\u00e9 Laval, and member of the RQRD\u2014comments 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chronic pain\u2014defined as pain persisting for at least three months\u2014affects 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n