Back pain: Its problems and treatments

Summary

Back pains are among the commonest forms of disability seen by the general practitioner and rheumatologist, and have serious socio-economic consequences. In about 80% of patients with recurrent back problems, however, accurate diagnosis is not possible at present and current radiological techniques have been found of little diagnostic value except to exclude destructive and old pathological lesions. Treatment in these non-specific cases, therefore, is mainly symptomatic plus the adoption of measures aimed at preventing recurrences. The treatment and management of such patients are reviewed and some of the research currently being carded out in this field is briefly discussed.

Key Words::

• Spinal diseases
• backache
• pain