If you’re a smoker and have low back pain, here’s another reason to kick the habit. A new study has found that people who smoke are three times more likely to develop chronic back pain than those who do not smoke. Using MRI, researchers observed that smoking increases brain activity in an area of the brain that has previously been associated with chronic pain development. Bottom line, in addition to seeking care to treat their back pain, smokers with chronic pain should also engage in a smoking cessation program.
Human Brain Mapping, October 2014