Evaluation and Treatment of Low Back Pain in Adult Patients

It is estimated that over 80% of adults will have difficulty with low back pain during their lifetime. Back pain is generally described as acute, subacute, and chronic based on the duration of symptoms. Although most back pain complaints are self-resolved and not considered emergent, some do hold an increased level of urgency. Recognizing red flags early in the evaluation is crucial to expedite appropriate treatment. In the absence of red flags routine imaging should be avoided. A single standard of care for patients with low back pain has not been established. The myriad of diagnoses and treatment choices makes it difficult to develop a single algorithm for management. Nonspecific low back pain is a prevalent complaint in primary care and acute care settings. Most patients with acute/subacute low back pain will resolve regardless of the modality used or not used.