October…it’s National Spine Health Awareness Month!

According to the National Spine Health Foundation (NSHF), the US Congress has officially recognized October as National Spine Health Awareness Month. In the House of Representative, Hon. Gerald E. Connolly of Virginia spoke about the impact spine conditions has on individuals and our country.

People Affected by Spine Conditions

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Connolly reported, nearly 40% of Americans suffered from chronic neck or back pain in 2019! Unfortunately, for individuals suffering from poverty, that number increases to about 45%. In addition, Connolly mentioned how the pandemic as made our lives more sedentary, putting us at further risk for developing back and neck conditions.

Further Reading: Do you suffer from Tech Neck?

Further Complications (Risks)

Over the counter pain medication is often used to help treat back pain. When over the counter medications aren’t helping, doctors can prescribe stronger medications, such as opiods. While opiod use may help treat back pain, it also comes with it a risk of dependency. An opiod addiction can lead to abuse of the drug and risk of overdose. More opiod prescriptions are written for back pain than any other condition except for cancer.

Cost of Spine Conditions

Not only are individuals and their families affected by the physical pain, there is a significant economic cost to spine conditions as well. Individuals and their families may deal with loss of income as back pain is the leading cause of missed worked days and job-related disability in the US. Employers must fill these roles and it’s estimated that these conditions cost roughly $250 billion to the U.S. economy annually.

Here at Saratoga Spine, these conditions and their impact on people’s lives is always at the forefront of our mind. Hopefully the NSHF can help bring more awareness to the topic.