Around 20% of Irish adults suffer with chronic back pain and for some of these, the cause of their pain can take years to diagnose, a new campaign has warned.

The Europe-wide initiative, 'Don't Turn Your Back On It', has just been launched in Ireland and it is urging people to become more knowledgeable about this common problem.

Chronic back pain refers to pain that lasts longer than three months. While in most cases the cause is mechanical, i.e. it is caused by an injury or a strain, 3% of cases are caused by an inflammation and this type of back pain needs to be managed differently.

When back pain is caused by an inflammation, it can take up to seven years to be correctly diagnosed.

"I am regularly surprised that people live with inflammatory back pain for years assuming it is a mechanical problem that will resolve itself, particularly those aged under 45, which is when inflammatory back pain typically starts," commented Dr Barry O'Shea, a consultant rheumatologist at St James's Hospital in Dublin.

He said that if a person is under the age of 45 and has had back pain for more than three months, they should visit their doctor to determine the cause of the pain.

"Inflammatory back pain requires different management to other types of back pain and correct diagnosis is important to avoid long-term damage," he noted.

Inflammatory back pain can have a major impact on people's quality of lives, making everyday activities like driving and sleeping difficult. Some people even consider giving up work as a result.

"As someone whose inflammatory back pain diagnosis took more than 15 years, I would strongly advise anyone with long-term back pain not to ignore their symptoms, and ensure that their back pain is properly diagnosed as either mechanical or inflammatory.

"Delayed accurate diagnosis and the impact of the conditions themselves can affect peoples' lives from a physical, emotional and social perspective, and the effects can be long-term or permanent," commented Seoirse Smith, secretary of the Ankylosing Spondylitis Association of Ireland.

For more information on the campaign, which includes a comprehensive educational booklet that is being endorsed by the FAI and GAA, click here