Simple back pain
In these cases:
- pain is usually lumbrosacral (may have associated buttock and thigh pain)
- pain is mechanical
- patient is otherwise well
- patient is usually between 20 and 55 years
- affected patients do no need lumbar spine X-rays or blood tests unless there is diagnostic doubt.
Low back pain is a common disorder, affecting around one-third of the UK adult population each year. Around 20% of people with low back pain (that is, 1 in 15 of the population) will consult their GP about it (2).
Reference:
- 1. Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 1998; 36 (12): 93-6.
- 2. NICE (May 2009). Low back pain - Early management of persistent non-specific low back pain
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