Back pain - whether it's caused by muscular aches, bone trauma or postural problems - can be excruciating.

Around half the population in the UK have trouble with back problems during the year, with more than one in 10 going on to suffer chronic pain. It accounts for five million lost work days annually and is the second most common reason that workers take sick days.

However, according to a team of scientists from Oxford and Warwick universities, talking could hold the key to helping people with back problems.

They looked at 600 patients with back pain. 400 patients were given six sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy (in group sessions) in addition to normal treatment from their doctor and 200 received normal care only.

The 90 minute sessions allowed patients to talk about ways of getting more exercise and to be less negative about their problems.

After a year, the people who had taken part in CBT had better scores when they filled out a survey which measured disability and pain levels.

Study author Zara Hansen, a clinical research fellow at the University of Warwick, said: "The exciting bit here is that with a lot of back pain interventions, you'll get a feel-good factor and patients will feel better while they're undergoing the treatment but it's a short-term effect."

"But we showed they improve up to six months and then this is maintained for up to a year as they learn to manage their condition," she added.