Guest Article: Bone Health and Back Pain by Healthy Bones Australia CEO, Greg Lyubomirsky
Healthy Bones, Chief Executive Officer, Greg Lyubomirsky
In Australia it is estimated there are over one million people living with osteoporosis leading to over 183,000 fractures due to poor bone health in 2021. These fractures account for up to 67% of the overall cost of osteoporosis annually and have a big impact on the individual and their family.
Healthy Bones Australia is committed to reducing fractures and improving bone health in the community. A focus on prevention and early diagnosis can significantly reduce unwanted fractures. Currently many common risk factors, including breaking a bone from a minor incident, are not routinely investigated for osteoporosis.
Research has shown specific risk factors can lead to poor bone health and osteoporosis. These should be discussed with a general practitioner. Common examples include:
Back pain and spinal fractures
Pain from a spinal fracture usually lasts a minimum of 6-8 weeks but can be longer if not diagnosed or properly managed. Spinal fractures occur when an individual vertebrae (or more than one) becomes weakened due to poor bone health and can fracture. This type of fracture accounts for approx. one sixth (30,000) of the estimated fractures from osteoporosis each year.
Issues with Diagnosis
Unfortunately, spinal fractures can be missed. Pain can be attributed to other common causes of back pain or may be misdiagnosed altogether. This can lead to longer periods of intense pain for the patient until a proper diagnosis is made which is upsetting and frustrating for those experiencing undiagnosed spinal fracture.
This typically occurs when pain is wrongly attributed to other causes. ‘Back Pain’ is a big issue in Australia and is attributed to many different causes. Pain Australia has played an important role in drawing attention to the debilitating impact of back pain and its impact on work and quality of life.
Spinal fractures can also create ‘referred pain’ in other areas of the body. For example a fracture in the lower spine can create a sense of pain in nearby areas such as the gut or groin. Doctors may therefore test for other issues not linked to a fracture of the spine. This can delay a proper diagnosis and become distressing for patients as the source of pain is not found.
Once a spinal fracture is confirmed (by x-ray or scan) and osteoporosis is diagnosed the fracture can be properly managed. This includes pain medication and prescribed medication for osteoporosis.
Tackling this heath issue
At Healthy Bones Australia we hear from consumers who have sometimes waited up to 3 years for a proper diagnosis and experienced multiple fractures during this timeframe. While this represents more serious cases it clearly demonstrates we need to make fractures a higher consideration as a potential “source” of pain (under the umbrella term of back pain) and strive for earlier diagnosis. This is also the case for emergency departments where patients can be discharged with pain medication but no diagnosis!
Healthy Bones Australia is working with Painaustralia to draw greater attention to this serious issue. Improving awareness in the community and among health professionals and policy makers can help improve early diagnosis and management of osteoporosis to prevent unwanted fractures.
For more information about bone health and osteoporosis visit: www.healthybonesaustralia.org.au