Midline back pain: A literature review

Abstract

Aim

To find out what is known about midline back pain.

Method

Literature search.

Results

Midline back pain was found to be as distinctive a concept as peripheral sciatica, and yet pain drawing analyses often lacked a midline pain category. Furthermore, the element of axial symmetry was seldom inspected. There were few studies of clinical tests provoking midline pain responses and a paucity of statistical analysis to elucidate the modes of clinical presentation of midline back pain. Some clinical studies showed how the facet joint syndrome was not typified by midline pain. But the literature does show that provocation discography can evoke a midline pain response which closely resembled the patient's usual back pain: this seems to indicate degenerative disc disease. Some other clinical, imaging, and causal aspects are also noted.

Conclusion

A rich field of clinical importance was traced which had not previously been brought together. This concept of midlineness can hopefully be explored further in the clinic and by therapists to reveal the ultimate secrets of what midline back pain fully means.

Keywords:

• Low back pain
• Drawings
• Midline
• Central
• Diagnosis