Study Shows Mind-Body Approaches Better than Pain Relievers for Sore Backs

Research We’re Watching

A study conducted by the University of Washington aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) compared to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and conventional treatment with drugs and physical therapy for chronic back pain. The study involved 342 participants aged 50 to 70, with two-thirds of them being women, who had been experiencing back pain for an average of over seven years. The participants were divided into three groups: one group received mindfulness training, the second received cognitive-behavioral therapy, and the third received conventional treatment as needed.

After 26 weeks, participants completed questionnaires to assess pain and disability. Both the mindfulness and CBT groups reported higher percentages of improvements in function and pain relief compared to the conventional therapy group. However, only the mindfulness group sustained these improvements when surveyed 26 weeks after the program concluded. The results were published in the March 22/29, 2016, issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.