Typical tactics of treatment of patients with chronic non-specific back pain and tension-type headaches

Non-specific (musculoskeletal) back pain (NBP) and tension-type headache (THA) are among the most common conditions in neurological practice that significantly impair patients' ability to work. The typical practice of treating patients with NBP and THA has not been sufficiently investigated, which formed the basis for conducting this study. Objective : to evaluate the quality of diagnosis and treatment of chronic NBP and THA in real-life neurological practice. Material and methods . The study included 120 patients with chronic NBP and combined THA of different frequency (32 men and 88 women, mean age 38.4±9.6 years) who were treated in A.Ya. Kozhevnikov Clinic of Neurologic Diseases (CND) of Sechenov University with complaints of back pain and headache and who had previously been examined and treated by neurologists and therapists in other medical institutions on an outpatient and/or inpatient basis. All patients underwent a clinical interview to establish a diagnosis and analyze previous treatment, a neurological and neuro-orthopedic examination and a psychometric examination to assess anxiety and depression symptoms. Results. Prior to contacting CND, only 10% of patients had a diagnosis of chronic NBS, only 7% had a diagnosis of THA and the remaining patients had other misdiagnoses. All patients had previously undergone additional examinations, mainly neuroimaging of the spine and brain, ultrasound examination of the neck vessels, even if there were no "red flags" – signs of danger in back pain and headache. None of the patients had previously had their emotional state assessed, while 75% of patients had symptoms of depression of varying severity and all patients suffered from anxiety of varying severity. Neuro-orthopaedic examination was performed in only 10% of patients. All patients received nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs for back pain, and most patients received vascular and nootropic medication for headaches. Of the non-pharmacological methods, massage and passive physiotherapy were most frequently prescribed. Only 9% of patients were recommended kinesiotherapy, and only 5% of patients performed it. Conclusion . In real-life medical practice, chronic NBP and THA are inadequately diagnosed, excessive and unjustified additional examinations are prescribed, unsatisfactory level of treatment, and patients with chronic NBP and THA are rarely prescribed kinesiotherapy.