I came across a brief article in New Scientist which can be found at http://www.newscientist.com/article/...back-pain.html
and looking for more information found it at http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/04April/...diagnosis.aspx which also has link to the original research paper at the bottom. While it doesn't offer a new treatment it seems to have potential to help doctors to make quicker and more accurate diagnoses and hence prescribe appropriate painkillers.