Pathophysiology of Chronic Back Pain eMedicine Neurology

Description: Chronic low back pain (LBP) is the most expensive benign condition in industrialized countries and the most common cause of activity limitation in persons younger than 45 years. It is defined as pain that persists longer than 12 weeks and is often attributed to degenerative or traumatic conditions of the spine. Fibrositis, inflammatory spondyloarthropathy, and metabolic bone conditions are also cited as causes. Although acute LBP has a favorable prognosis, the effect of chronic LBP and its related disability on society is tremendous. Unlike acute LBP, chronic LBP serves no biologic purpose. However, it is a disorder that evolves in a complex milieu influenced by endogenous and exogenous factors, and it alters the individual's productivity to an extent beyond what the initiating pathologic dysfunction would have.
Anthony H Wheeler, MD Updated: Jun 30, 2009