This website and its contents have not been updated since May 2012.
Some of the content on this website may be out of date, please use caution if using it to inform practice.
For all current products please view Medicines and prescribing support from NICE.
Back pain
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Changes/additions to materials:
NICE guidance on low back pain
Since these materials were written, NICE has issued a clinical guideline on the early management of persistent or recurrent low back pain. The guideline includes recommendations for assessment and imaging, provision of information and education to patients, drug and non-drug treatment options, and referral criteria for surgery. Please see the MeReC Stop Press No. 365 for a summary of the guidance and a recent study, which supports the guidance with regard to acupuncture as an option for first-line treatment.
View or download this PowerPoint presentation. You may find it useful in discussions about the therapeutics of back pain. Extensive notes for each slide are available in the word file.
Download a copy of the back pain key slides
Download a copy of the back pain notes