Back pain is no longer just the curse of middle age according to new research released today as 1 in 3 people under the age of 35 admit to constantly suffering with the condition.

Despite the common occurrence of back pain amongst the under 35s as identified by the research, nearly 4% of people aged between 18 and 24 years old claim they visited a GP about their problem and were turned away without treatment.

The most common cause of back pain for the nation, the research study, was wear and tear (21%) however nearly 9% blame gardening and a further 10% say lifting heavy work equipment was the culprit. Over 2% of those polled are clearly getting more of it than others as they admit their back pain is the result of having lots of sex!

The independent study, in which 1,000 UK men and women were questioned, was carried out on behalf of the British Acupuncture Council to mark Back Care Awareness Week which takes place 8th – 12th October.

Its common knowledge that the UK is a nation of pill poppers and this research supports that as a nearly half of those polled (48%) admit they rely on painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs to deal with their back pain. Over 12% however prefer the natural route using acupuncture and massage to get relief. Surprisingly 15% have not sought any professional help and ignored their back pain, whilst 4% suffer in silence because they don't know how to deal with it.

Nick Pahl, CEO, the British Acupuncture Council, the UK's leading governing body for the practice of acupuncture, comments on the research: "It's clear from the results that back pain can have a significant effect on our wellbeing and much of the nation is relying on over-the-counter or prescription medication to cope with it. However there are proven, natural ways to combat the pain including acupuncture. In fact the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends acupuncture for patients with persistent low back pain."

Back pain can have a huge impact on our everyday lives say those surveyed with over 18% admitting it has made them depressed and nearly a quarter (24%) claiming it has affected how much exercise they do. Sadly over 9% are on constant medication because of their condition and 6% have lost their job over it. Though a surprising 9% of the nation say back pain has impacted on their sex life!

To find a practitioner in your area call the British Acupuncture Council on 020 8735 0400 or visit www.acupuncture.org.uk/find

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The British Acupuncture Council responds to a recent article in a national newspaper:
 
“There are very few side effects from acupuncture when practised by a fully qualified practitioner of traditional acupuncture. Two surveys conducted independently of each other and published in the British Medical Journal in 2001 concluded that the risk of a serious adverse reaction to acupuncture is less than 1 in 10,000. This is far less than many orthodox medical treatments.  To further reduce the risk of any potential side effects, patients should look out for a registered practitioner from the British Acupuncture Council.  The BAcC stamp of approval means that the practitioner is an accredited acupuncturist providing the highest standard of professional care to patients, with degree level training and strict codes of safe practice, which are in place to protect the patient from these sorts of incidents.”

The College of Medicine’s one-day conference – Acupuncture for Integrated Pain Management - took place at London South Bank University (LSBU) on Wednesday 4 July and attracted a variety of health professionals, including a high level delegation from the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. Chaired by Professor Nicky Robinson, the programme consisted of presentations designed to share knowledge and experience on the role of acupuncture in managing pain, particularly within the NHS.

The British Acupuncture Council, the UK’s largest professional body for the practice of acupuncture, fully supports NICE's (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) decision that acupuncture be made available on the NHS for chronic lower back pain.