Authors:
Bunzli S, Watkins R, Smith A, Schütze R, O'Sullivan P
Authors notes:
Clinical Journal of Pain. 2013;29(10):907-916
Keywords:
Chronic pain, Experience, Low-back pain, Qualitative research
Abstract:
Chronic nonspecific low-back pain (CLBP) is a prevalent, costly condition that is remarkably resistant to intervention.
Substantial evidence suggests that a mismatch exists between the biomedical beliefs held by clinicians and patients and the biopsychosocial nature of CLBP experience.
The aim of this metasynthesis of qualitative studies was to provide clinicians with a richer understanding of their patients' CLBP experience to highlight the importance of moving away from biomedical paradigms in the clinical management of CLBP.
Three main themes emerged: the social construction of CLBP; the psychosocial impact of the nature of CLBP; and coping with CLBP.
The authors conceptualize the experience of CLBP as biographical suspension in which 3 aspects of suspension are described: suspended "wellness," suspended "self," and suspended "future".
The implications of improved clinician understanding of the CLBP experience and directions for future research are discussed.