aetiology by age at presentation
Last reviewed 01/2018
A probable aetiology of back pain can be classified according to the patient’s age (1):
- 15-30 years:
- postural
- mechanical
- prolapsed disc
- trauma
- fracture
- ankylosing spondylitis
- pregnancy
- 30-50 years:
- postural
- degenerative joint disease
- prolapsed disc
- discitis
- spondyloartropathies
- >50 years:
- postural
- degenerative
- osteoporotic collapse
- Paget’s disease
- metastatic malignancy:
- lung
- breast
- prostate
- myeloma
- referred pain:
- cardiac pain
- aortic aneurysm
- pancreatitis
- spinal stenosis
- cauda equina tumors
- spinal infarction
- non-specific back pain is common in all age groups
Reference:
1. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) 2009. Low back pain – Early management of non-specific low back pain