• One of the most common type of pain experienced by people today (Headaches are the most common)
  
• Will be experienced by 80% of adults during their lifetime
  
• Can be caused by a variety of disorders
  
• Is usually self-limiting and resolves within a few weeks
  
• Causes 40-50% of lost work day

• Genetic Predisposition
• Smoking
• Poor physical fitness
• Prolonged static position (sitting)
• Anxiety/depression
• Repetitive lifting, twisting, bending
• Overweigh

Unknown and can be related to ligaments, discs, joints, muscles or any combination. Disorders such as: Degenerative Disc Disease, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Herniated Disc, Lumbar Strain, Spondylolisis or Spinal Stenosis.

• Comfort measures - rest, ice/heat, and medication (anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxant, pain pills)
• Physical therapy treatments
• Spine exercise program
• Lumbar support
• Education in back care and prevention
• Surgery in some cases.

  Continued low back pain which lasts longer than three months is diagnosed as chronic low back pain and is addressed differently than acute low back pain

• Any unrelenting severe low back pain
• Loss of bowel and bladder function
• Progressive numbness/weakness of legs

Treatment of unrelenting low back pain and changes in neurological function will be determined by the physician after clinical exam and diagnostic tests (x-rays, CT's, MRI's, labs) to determine the cause of the problem.

• To relieve pressure on spinal cord or nerve roots
• To stabilize the spine
• To treat the cause of the pain

Kao-Wha Chang : Disc Excision and Interbody Fusion for Lumbar Discogenic Pain, J Orthop Surg ROC 10 : 317-324, 1993)