Gastric Bypass May Also Relieve Low Back Pain (HealthDay)

MONDAY, April 28 (HealthDay News) -- Obese people who underwentsurgery that reduced the amount of food they could ingest not only lostweight, they also lost some of their lower back pain, according to a newreport.

Thirty-eight morbidly obese patients with low back pain who underwentgastric bypass surgery reported that their pain decreased by an average ofabout 44 percent six months after surgery, according to researchers at theUniversity of Southern California. The average amount of individualweight loss among the group of 30 women and eight men was about 85 pounds.

"This study provides evidence that substantial weight reductionfollowing bariatric surgery results in moderate reductions in pre-existingback pain within six months of weight loss. While this initial researchis promising, larger long-term trials are needed to prove the efficacy ofthis treatment," Dr. Paul Khoueir said in a prepared statement.

Khoueir was expected to present the findings in Chicago April 29 at theannual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

According to recent statistics, more than one-third of U.S. adults --more than 72 million people -- were obese in 2005-2006. An estimated 75percent to 85 percent of all Americans will experience some form of backpain during their lifetime.

Obese people are known to have a higher rate of hip and knee arthritis,but little is known about the extra weight's effect on lumbar spinaldegeneration. While obese patients with back pain are frequently advisedto lose weight, the association between these medical conditions remainsunproven.

More information

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has moreabout .