Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Treatment and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Chronic Low Back Pain

The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Treatment and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for Chronic Low Back Pain Treated in Pain Clinics

The primary purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of two psychological techniques in chronic low back pain patients treated in hospital pain clinics. The techniques are: cognitive behavioral treatment and mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR). This is a multiple site project in which patients come from 16 different pain clinics throughout Spain. The control group is formed by patients under usual medical treatment at pain clinics. The two intervention groups also receive usual medical treatment at pain clinics plus one psychological therapy treatment. The sample size is 330 subjects.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Chronic low back pain and failed back surgery patients
• With or without referred or radiated pain
• Who are between 18 and 70 years of age (inclusive)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with red flags for systemic disease or criteria for surgery
• With intolerable intensity of pain despite 6 weeks or more of non-surgical treatment
• With pain that appears only on walking and disappears with sitting, persists after 6 months of conservative treatment, and is a possible spinal stenosis
• Under psychological or psychiatric treatment
• Unable to fill out the questionnaires
• Have received cognitive behavioral treatment in the past
• Have ongoing work litigation or are in the process of obtaining permanent disability.