Rethinking what causes pain and how great a threat it is can provide chronic pain patients with lasting relief and alter brain networks associated with pain processing, according to new University of Colorado Boulder led research.

The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found that two-thirds of chronic back pain patients who underwent a four-week psychological treatment called Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) were pain-free or nearly pain-free post-treatment. And most maintained relief for one year.

The findings provide some of the strongest evidence yet that a psychological treatment can provide potent and durable relief for chronic pain, which afflicts one in five Americans. This study suggests a fundamentally new way to think about both the causes of chronic back pain for many people and the tools that are available to treat that pain. It provides a potentially powerful option for people who want to live free or nearly free of pain.

Experiencing back pain and not ready to consult a psychiatrist? Chiropractors (doctors of chiropractic) are experts in the hands-on non-surgical, opioid free treatment of back pain.

Presented as a service to the community by: Union County Chiropractic Clinic, 110 Skyline Drive, Maynardville, TN (865) 992-7000 www.unioncountychiropractic.com.