Interdisciplinary treatment of low back pain. A clinical outcome comparison of compensated versus noncompensated groups.

Whether the compensation status of patients with chronic pain influences treatment outcome remains an issue. This article describes the treatment outcome status of compensated versus non-compensated chronic low back pain patients who received comprehensive functional restoration treatment in a hospital-based, interdisciplinary, industrial medicine and pain management program. Results of this investigation revealed compensated versus noncompensated treatment group outcome differences in three of the five outcome measures (increased physical activity levels, reduced pain intensity, and return to productivity) at discharge.

Pain clinic #13. Comprehensive pain center treatment of low back workers' compensation injuries. An industrial medicine clinical outcome follow-up comparison.

A clinical outcome follow-up comparison of treatment and nontreatment groups was conducted to investigate both the clinical and cost effectiveness of a hospital-based industrial medicine division offering inpatient pain treatment clinical services. Eighteen month followup data were collected on 63 patients participating in a pain treatment program and 37 patients referred for treatment but denied participation by their workers' compensation insurance company. Outcome data indicate that the population of workers' compensation low back injured patients participating in pain treatment programs subsequently consumed fewer analgesics, required fewer hospitalizations for additional diagnostics and/or treatment, required fewer additional surgery, and were more likely to return to employment than a comparison group of patients denied comparable treatment.

Reduction of postoperative pain parameters by presurgical relaxation instructions for spinal pain patients.

This study investigated the effects of a relaxation instruction session conducted presurgically with postsurgical pain parameters for patients undergoing spinal surgery. Results indicated that the relaxation group (n = 50) as compared with an equivalent group (n = 50) matched to type of surgery and sex type, workers compensation status had significant reduction of days of hospitalization, complaints noted by nurses, and medications (primarily demerol and phenaphen). Sex type, age, and workers compensation status were not significant factors regarding these outcome measures.