At the request of the National Spine Health Foundation (NSHF), the United States Congress has formally recognized the month of October as Spine Health Awareness Month to bring attention to an issue impacting 100 million Americans each year.
A significant number of Americans suffer from spinal conditions, which can cause secondary health problems that prevent them from leading productive and engaged lives, including depression, opioid addiction, and limited movement. The NSHF is the national leader in spine health education, research, and advocacy, working to improve Americans’ spine health and help them reclaim their lives from neck or back pain.
“October’s Spine Health Awareness Month gives us an opportunity to highlight the critical work our organization does year-round,” said Dr. Rita Roy, Chief Executive Officer, National Spine Health Foundation. “At the NSHF, we give patients the tools they need to make informed, confident decisions on their journey towards recovery.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), lower back pain causes more global disability than any other condition. The pain itself has been estimated to cost the U.S. billions of dollars each year as the leading source of missed workdays. Compounding the economic impact of lost productivity is neck and back pain’s association with the opioid epidemic, as the leading, non-cancer prompt for an opioid prescription in the U.S. Tragically, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these health issues for Americans, with lower rates of activity and fewer visits to the doctor resulting in poorer spinal health and greater opioid use to manage the pain.
Spine health is an issue of national significance, with more than one third of Americans across the country suffering from neck or back pain each year. The NSHF is the only patient-centered, non-profit organization dedicated to helping Americans overcome debilitating spine conditions through patient education and award-winning research.
In honor of Spine Health Awareness Month, the NSHF will host the 4th Annual We’ve Got Your Back Gala on Friday, October 22. Held at Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Virginia, the gala will recognize the achievements of spine health leaders across the country, celebrate the foundation’s donors and supporters, and share the foundation’s work that makes a difference in peoples’ lives.
