Low back pain

Differential Diagnosis

• Mechanical
  • Muscle sprain or strain
  • Compression fracture
  • Traumatic fracture
  • Disc herniation
  • Facet joint arthropathy
• Inflammatory
  • Spondyloarthropathy
    • Ankylosing spondylitis
    • Psoriatic arthritis
    • Enteropathic arthritis
    • Reactive arthritis
• Infectious
  • Epidural abscess
  • Osteomyelitis/discitis
  • Intra-abdominal abscess
  • Pyelonephritis
• Referred pain
  • Pancreatitis
  • Renal stones
  • Aortic aneurysm

Red Flags

• Neurological deficits
  • Bowel or bladder dysfunction
  • Weakness
  • Numbness or tingling, especially as a sensory level
  • Perianal numbness
• Infection
  • Fever
  • IVDU
  • Tuberculosis
  • Rigors, chills, or drenching night sweats
• Fracture
• Tumours
  • History of malignancy
  • Weight loss
  • Anorexia
  • Fatigue
• Intravenous drug use