Back pain: medical evaluation and therapy.

Cleve Clin J Med · 1995

Where this comes from

Abstract

Most patients with acute low back pain or sciatica improve with appropriate conservative therapy, and most require no immediate diagnostic studies beyond a careful history and examination. In patients with "red flags" for visceral, malignant, or infectious causes or possible cauda equina syndrome, a more aggressive evaluation is mandatory. In patients whose pain does not respond to initial management or who have chronic symptoms, diagnostic re-evaluation is appropriate.