The Nonsurgical Management of Acute Low Back Pain

Nonsurgical management of acute and chronic low back pain.

A variety of nonsurgical treatment alternatives exists for acute and chronic low back pain. Patients should receive appropriate education about the favorable natural history of low back pain, basic body mechanics, and methods (eg, exercises, activity modification, behavioral modification) that can reduce symptoms. Nonprescription medication is efficacious for mild to moderate pain. Nonsteroidal...

Acute low back pain: assessment and management.

BACKGROUND Back pain is a common presenting problem in Australian general practice. Serious causes, however, are rare. Tumours, infections and fractures account for less than 1% of cases and can usually can be recognised or excluded by taking a careful history. Patients should expect a good outcome. OBJECTIVE This article summarises the management of acute low back pain and sets out the key p...

[Acute low back pain].

A focused history taking and physical examination directed toward uncovering signs that suggest a serious underlying cause of low back pain are crucial. "Red flags" include pain that lasts more than 6 weeks; pain in persons younger than 18 years or older than 50 years; pain that radiates below the knee; a history of major trauma; poor rectal tone; constitutional symptoms; atypical pain (eg, tha...

Acute low back pain.

Management of low back pain.

The most frequently quoted epidemiological studies cite lifetime adult prevalence rates varying from50% to 80%, and point prevalence rates from15% to 30%.Yet even these statisticsmay underestimate the problem.A recent prospective studyof 154 reserve soldierswithno priorhistoryofbackpain found that64%of this lowrisk group developed at least moderate back pain over an 18 month period when queried...