Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health logoLink to Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
. 1996 Apr;50(2):166–169. doi: 10.1136/jech.50.2.166

Musculoskeletal pain and smoking in Norway.

S Brage 1, T Bjerkedal 1
PMCID: PMC1060246  PMID: 8762382

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between musculoskeletal pain and smoking. DESIGN: Cross sectional, national interview survey. SETTING: All individuals in a representative sample of households in Norway in 1985. SUBJECTS: A total of 6681 persons aged 16 to 66 years old. people in institutions were not included. OUTCOME MEASURES: Gender specific and age specific prevalence rates for pain in the cervical region/upper limbs, back, and lower limbs. RESULTS: Current smoking was independently associated with musculoskeletal pain (odds ratio (OR) 1.69; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.45, 1.97) after adjustment for gender, age, comorbidity, mental distress, lifestyle factors, and occupation related factors. The association was of similar strength regarding cervical/upper limb pain (OR 1.87; CI 1.56, 2.25) and back pain (OR 1.84; CI 1.50, 2.25) but weaker in respect of lower limb pain (OR 1.37; CI 1.10, 1.71). Musculoskeletal pain was often present in more than one site. CONCLUSION: Smoking was significantly associated with musculoskeletal pain after adjustment for other relevant factors.

Full text

PDF
166

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Andersson H. I., Ejlertsson G., Leden I., Rosenberg C. Chronic pain in a geographically defined general population: studies of differences in age, gender, social class, and pain localization. Clin J Pain. 1993 Sep;9(3):174–182. doi: 10.1097/00002508-199309000-00004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Battié M. C., Videman T., Gill K., Moneta G. B., Nyman R., Kaprio J., Koskenvuo M. 1991 Volvo Award in clinical sciences. Smoking and lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration: an MRI study of identical twins. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1991 Sep;16(9):1015–1021. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Biering-Sørensen F., Thomsen C. Medical, social and occupational history as risk indicators for low-back trouble in a general population. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1986 Sep;11(7):720–725. doi: 10.1097/00007632-198609000-00011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Boshuizen H. C., Verbeek J. H., Broersen J. P., Weel A. N. Do smokers get more back pain? Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1993 Jan;18(1):35–40. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199301000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Croft P. R., Rigby A. S. Socioeconomic influences on back problems in the community in Britain. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1994 Apr;48(2):166–170. doi: 10.1136/jech.48.2.166. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Derogatis L. R., Lipman R. S., Rickels K., Uhlenhuth E. H., Covi L. The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL): a self-report symptom inventory. Behav Sci. 1974 Jan;19(1):1–15. doi: 10.1002/bs.3830190102. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Deyo R. A., Bass J. E. Lifestyle and low-back pain. The influence of smoking and obesity. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1989 May;14(5):501–506. doi: 10.1097/00007632-198905000-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Ekberg K., Björkqvist B., Malm P., Bjerre-Kiely B., Karlsson M., Axelson O. Case-control study of risk factors for disease in the neck and shoulder area. Occup Environ Med. 1994 Apr;51(4):262–266. doi: 10.1136/oem.51.4.262. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Ernst E. Smoking, a cause of back trouble? Br J Rheumatol. 1993 Mar;32(3):239–242. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/32.3.239. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Frymoyer J. W., Pope M. H., Costanza M. C., Rosen J. C., Goggin J. E., Wilder D. G. Epidemiologic studies of low-back pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1980 Sep-Oct;5(5):419–423. doi: 10.1097/00007632-198009000-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Heliövaara M., Mäkelä M., Knekt P., Impivaara O., Aromaa A. Determinants of sciatica and low-back pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1991 Jun;16(6):608–614. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199106000-00002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Holm S., Nachemson A. Nutrition of the intervertebral disc: acute effects of cigarette smoking. An experimental animal study. Ups J Med Sci. 1988;93(1):91–99. doi: 10.1517/03009734000000042. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Jamison R. N., Stetson B. A., Parris W. C. The relationship between cigarette smoking and chronic low back pain. Addict Behav. 1991;16(3-4):103–110. doi: 10.1016/0306-4603(91)90002-y. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kelsey J. L. An epidemiological study of acute herniated lumbar intervertebral discs. Rheumatol Rehabil. 1975 Aug;14(3):144–159. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/14.3.144. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Mackenbach J. P. Socio-economic health differences in The Netherlands: a review of recent empirical findings. Soc Sci Med. 1992 Feb;34(3):213–226. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(92)90264-q. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Mäkelä M., Heliövaara M., Sievers K., Impivaara O., Knekt P., Aromaa A. Prevalence, determinants, and consequences of chronic neck pain in Finland. Am J Epidemiol. 1991 Dec 1;134(11):1356–1367. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116038. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Raspe H., Kohlmann T. Disorders characterised by pain: a methodological review of population surveys. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1994 Dec;48(6):531–537. doi: 10.1136/jech.48.6.531. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Tsai S. P., Gilstrap E. L., Cowles S. R., Waddell L. C., Jr, Ross C. E. Personal and job characteristics of musculoskeletal injuries in an industrial population. J Occup Med. 1992 Jun;34(6):606–612. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES