Low Back Pain

Course Overview
Back pain in general, and low back pain (LBP) in particular, is highly prevalent, associated with substantial economic expenditures (mainly health care) and losses (e.g., absenteeism, lost productivity). It can incur serious and prolonged patient suffering, diminished quality of life, and disability. LBP is the chronic pain syndrome responsible for the greatest clinical, social, economic, and public health burden. By completing this course, physicians, nurses, and other primary care providers will achieve a greater understanding of the pathophysiology and differential diagnosis of back pain conditions, the distinction between acute and chronic back pain and its management implications, and knowledge of appropriate treatment options that are guided by advances in pain neuroscience. Also gained from this course is the understanding of advances in the conceptualization and treatment of chronic LBP that challenge long-held assumptions and paradigms.

Learning Outcomes 
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:

• Outline the epidemiology of back pain, including economic and societal costs.
• Identify modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors for back pain.
• Review prognostic factors for unsatisfactory treatment response or progression to chronic low back pain.
• Describe the clinical course of low back pain.
• Describe the pathophysiology of the different types of back pain.
• Outline the assessment and diagnosis of low back pain, including "red flags" evident on the initial assessment.
• Assess approaches to enhancing the assessment of low back pain.
• Compare available approaches for the management of acute and chronic low back pain.
• Describe non-drug therapies that may be helpful for low back pain.
• Discuss the use of complementary and alternative modalities for the treatment of low back pain.
• Review the available oral pharmacotherapies for the treatment of low back pain.
• Compare and contrast topical medications for the management of low back pain.
• Evaluate the efficacy of spinal surgery to manage low back pain.
• Assess the indications and potential benefits of epidural injections for the management of low back pain.
• Identify barriers to the effective care of chronic back pain.
   

About the Author/Presenter 
Mark Rose, BS, MA, LP, is a licensed psychologist in the State of Minnesota with a private consulting practice and a medical research analyst with a biomedical communications firm. Earlier healthcare technology assessment work led to medical device and pharmaceutical sector experience in new product development involving cancer ablative devices and pain therapeutics. Along with substantial experience in addiction research, Mr. Rose has contributed to the authorship of numerous papers on CNS, oncology, and other medical disorders. He is the lead author of papers published in peer-reviewed addiction, psychiatry, and pain medicine journals and has written books on prescription opioids and alcoholism published by the Hazelden Foundation. He also serves as an Expert Advisor and Expert Witness to law firms that represent disability claimants or criminal defendants on cases related to chronic pain, psychiatric/substance use disorders, and acute pharmacologic/toxicologic effects. Mr. Rose is on the Board of Directors of the Minneapolis-based International Institute of Anti-Aging Medicine and is a member of several professional organizations.

Audience/Accreditations and Approvals 
TRC Healthcare/ NetCE 
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by TRC Healthcare/ NetCE. TRC Healthcare/NetCE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. 
This course is designed for the following healthcare professions (select your profession for details): 
Nursing, Physician
 

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