Scotland’s first integrated specialist spinal clinic opened its doors earlier this year, as research from Nuffield Health reveals that over a quarter of adults in Scotland who suffer from back pain have missed work as a result of their pain.
The Nuffield Spinal Centre, part of the Nuffield Health Glasgow Hospital, will offer some of the most comprehensive spinal treatments available to those suffering with back pain.
The survey of Scottish adults also revealed that a considerable three out of four have suffered from back pain, and one in five say their day-to-day lives are impacted by back pain.
Forty-two per cent of back pain sufferers under 35 years old believe that their pain is likely to be a result of sitting down for too long in their daily lives, whether that be at work or in their spare time. This is higher than any other age group who answered yes to this question. Only 23 per cent of over-55s attributed their back pain to sitting down for too long.
Heralded as a go-to destination for back pain sufferers, the facility is the first of its kind in Scotland which will offer patients access to specialist orthopaedic surgeons, a team of therapists and imaging services all under one roof.
Led by Nicholas Brownson and Fraser Dean, two of the most established orthopaedic spinal surgeons in the country, the centre will also house a multidisciplinary team of experts, including physiotherapists and pain management specialists.
Access to the full-service team makes the centre unique and means patients will receive an individually tailored approach to their treatment, depending on what is causing their back pain and how it’s affecting their lives.
Nicholas Brownson, consultant at Nuffield Health Glasgow Hospital, said: “The Nuffield Spinal Centre is a real breakthrough for the care and treatment of back pain in Scotland.
“This is an excellent facility, where patients who may have been suffering with unexplained back pain for many years can come and receive a diagnosis and a detailed treatment plan. We recognised there was a gap in the market for this kind of centre and saw it as an opportunity to bring people in Scotland this unique specialist service.
“The collaborative approach of our team of specialists means patients will have access to a wide variety of expertise and treatment options which they can choose to fit around their lifestyles. A lot of people assume that they will need surgery for their back pain so they may be nervous about getting a diagnosis, but in reality only 15 per cent of patients presenting with spine pain will require surgery.”
Picture caption: Orthopaedic spine surgeons Fraser Dean and Nicholas Brownson.
