Higher Pain Predicts Slightly Lower Back Pain for Population
Contents
Mike Sinn
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Mike Sinn

Variables

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Pain 770
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Back Pain 1303

Categories

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Symptoms 13336
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Symptoms 13336

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Tags

High Confidence
Very Weak Effect Size
Negative Relationship
Population Study
cause image gauge image effect image
Participants reported a 26.1% average decrease in Back Pain following above average Pain.
Abstract

Abstract

Back Pain was generally 22.1% lower than average after Yes of Pain per 24 hours.

Aggregated data from 1 study participants suggests with a HIGH degree of confidence (p=0.00502, 95% CI -0.384 to 0.016) that Pain has a weakly negative predictive relationship (R=-0.184) with Back Pain.

The highest quartile of Back Pain measurements were observed following an average Yes Pain per day.

The lowest quartile of Back Pain measurements were observed following an average Yes of Pain per day.

After an onset delay of 0 seconds, Back Pain is typically 4% lower than average over the 24 hours following around Yes Pain.

Objective

Objective

The objective of this study is to determine the nature of the relationship (if any) between Pain and Back Pain. Additionally, we attempt to determine the Pain (yes/no) values most likely to produce optimal Back Pain values.
Participant Instructions

Participant Instructions

Manual Recording Option

A Create a reminder for Pain here and record it daily by enabling notifications or using A the reminder inbox here .


Manual Recording Option

A Create a reminder for Back Pain here and record it daily by enabling notifications or using A the reminder inbox here .

Design

Design

This study is based on data donated by 1 participants. Thus, the study design is equivalent to the aggregation of 1 separate n=1 observational natural experiments.

Data Analysis

Data Analysis

Pain Pre-Processing

Pain measurement values below No were assumed erroneous and removed. Pain measurement values above Yes were assumed erroneous and removed. It was assumed that any gaps in Pain data were unrecorded No measurement values.

Back Pain Pre-Processing

Back Pain measurement values below 1 out of 5 were assumed erroneous and removed. Back Pain measurement values above 5 out of 5 were assumed erroneous and removed. No missing data filling value was defined for Back Pain so any gaps in data were just not analyzed instead of assuming zero values for those times.

Predictive Analytics

It was assumed that 0 seconds would pass before a change in Pain (yes/no) would produce an observable change in Back Pain.

It was assumed that Pain (yes/no) could produce an observable change in Back Pain for as much as 24 hours after the stimulus event.

Statistical Significance

Statistical Significance

Using a two-tailed t-test with alpha = 0.05, it was determined that the change in Back Pain is statistically significant at 95% confidence interval.

After treatment, a 26.1% decrease (-0.354 out of 5) from the mean baseline 1.6 out of 5 was observed. The relative standard deviation at baseline was 74.7%. The observed change was 0.3 times the standard deviation.

A common rule of thumb considers a change greater than twice the baseline standard deviation on two separate pre-post experiments may be considered significant. This occurrence would have only a 5% likelihood of resulting from random fluctuation (a p-value < 0.05).

Data Sources

Data Sources

Pain (yes/no) data was primarily collected using QuantiModo. QuantiModo allows you to easily track mood, symptoms, or any outcome you want to optimize in a fraction of a second. You can also import your data from over 30 other apps and devices. QuantiModo then analyzes your data to identify which hidden factors are most likely to be influencing your mood or symptoms.

Back Pain data was primarily collected using QuantiModo. QuantiModo allows you to easily track mood, symptoms, or any outcome you want to optimize in a fraction of a second. You can also import your data from over 30 other apps and devices. QuantiModo then analyzes your data to identify which hidden factors are most likely to be influencing your mood or symptoms.

Limitations

Limitations

As with any human experiment, it was impossible to control for all potentially confounding variables. Correlation does not necessarily imply causation. We can never know for sure if one factor is definitely the cause of an outcome. However, lack of correlation definitely implies the lack of a causal relationship. Hence, we can with great confidence rule out non-existent relationships. For instance, if we discover no relationship between mood and an antidepressant this information is just as or even more valuable than the discovery that there is a relationship.

We can also take advantage of several characteristics of time series data from many subjects to infer the likelihood of a causal relationship if we do find a correlational relationship. The criteria for causation are a group of minimal conditions necessary to provide adequate evidence of a causal relationship between an incidence and a possible consequence.

Criteria For Causal Inference

Strength (A.K.A. Effect Size)

A small association does not mean that there is not a causal effect, though the larger the association, the more likely that it is causal. There is a weakly negative (R = -0.1839) relationship between Pain and Back Pain.

Consistency (A.K.A. Reproducibility)

Consistent findings observed by different persons in different places with different samples strengthens the likelihood of an effect. Furthermore, in accordance with the law of large numbers (LLN), the predictive power and accuracy of these results will continually grow over time. 243 paired data points were used in this analysis. Assuming that the relationship is merely coincidental, as the participant independently modifies their Pain values, the observed strength of the relationship will decline until it is below the threshold of significance. To it another way, in the case that we do find a spurious correlation, suggesting that banana intake improves mood for instance, one will likely increase their banana intake. Due to the fact that this correlation is spurious, it is unlikely that you will see a continued and persistent corresponding increase in mood. So over time, the spurious correlation will naturally dissipate.

Specificity

Causation is likely if a very specific population at a specific site and disease with no other likely explanation. The more specific an association between a factor and an effect is, the bigger the probability of a causal relationship.

Temporality

The effect has to occur after the cause (and if there is an expected delay between the cause and expected effect, then the effect must occur after that delay). The confidence in a causal relationship is bolstered by the fact that time-precedence was taken into account in all calculations.

Biological Gradient

Greater exposure should generally lead to greater incidence of the effect. However, in some cases, the mere presence of the factor can trigger the effect. In other cases, an inverse proportion is observed: greater exposure leads to lower incidence.

Plausibility

A plausible bio-chemical mechanism between cause and effect is critical. This is where human brains excel.

Based on our responses so far,

0 humans feel that there is a plausible mechanism of action for a relationship between Pain and Back Pain.

0 humans feel that any relationship observed between Pain and Back Pain is coincidental.

Coherence

Coherence between epidemiological and laboratory findings increases the likelihood of an effect. It will be very enlightening to aggregate this data with the data from other participants with similar genetic, diseasomic, environmentomic, and demographic profiles.

Experiment

All of human life can be considered a natural experiment. Occasionally, it is possible to appeal to experimental evidence.

Analogy

The effect of similar factors may be considered.

Plausibility

Plausibility

A plausible bio-chemical mechanism between cause and effect is critical. This is where human brains excel. Based on our responses so far, 0 humans feel that there is a plausible mechanism of action and 0 feel that any relationship observed between Pain and Back Pain is coincidental.

Relationship Statistics

Property Value
Cause Variable Name Pain
Effect Variable Name Back Pain
Sinn Predictive Coefficient 0.017500398696131
Confidence Level HIGH
Confidence Interval 0.19977737985333
Forward Pearson Predictive Coefficient -0.1839
Critical T Value 1.646
Total Pain Over Previous 24 hours Before ABOVE Average Back Pain Yes
Total Pain Over Previous 24 hours Before BELOW Average Back Pain Yes
Duration of Action 24 hours
Effect Size weakly negative
Number of Paired Measurements 243
Optimal Pearson Product 0.069223012337058
P Value 0.0050200349675558
Statistical Significance 0.8851
Strength of Relationship 0.19977737985333
Study Type population
Analysis Performed At 2021-08-30
Number of Participants 1

Pain Info

Property Value
Variable Name Pain (yes/no)
Aggregation Method SUM
Analysis Performed At 2022-11-18
Duration of Action 24 hours
Filling Value 0
Kurtosis 16.135265895795
Maximum Allowed Value Yes
Mean Yes
Median Yes
Minimum Allowed Value No
Number of Aggregate Predictors 693
Number of Aggregate Outcomes 77
Number of Measurements 994
Number of Measurements (including those generated by tagged, joined, or child variables) 994
Public true
Onset Delay 0 seconds
Standard Deviation 0.20449498847489
Unit Yes/No
User Variables 4
UPC 0
Variable Category Symptoms
Variable ID 1634021
Variance 0.074460604639263

Back Pain Info

Property Value
Variable Name Back Pain
Aggregation Method MEAN
Analysis Performed At 2020-09-23
Duration of Action 24 hours
Kurtosis 2.4506730088922
Maximum Allowed Value 5 out of 5
Mean 2.9034218408496 out of 5
Median 2.8847373287671 out of 5
Minimum Allowed Value 1 out of 5
Number of Aggregate Predictors 1136
Number of Aggregate Outcomes 167
Number of Measurements 3710
Number of Measurements (including those generated by tagged, joined, or child variables) 2918
Public true
Onset Delay 0 seconds
Standard Deviation 0.36868577891095
Unit 1 to 5 Rating
User Variables 405
UPC 711583981326
Variable Category Symptoms
Variable ID 1919
Variance 0.37862284909721