Low back pain: a comprehensive approach.

Back pain generally has a good prognosis. Most individuals with low back pain will not be seen by a physician. Symptoms will be resolved spontaneously with time. Patients who are seen with complaints of low back pain need a thorough history and physical examination, with appropriate additional studies as indicated. Conservative therapy will usually prove successful. Current trends in therapy are toward shorter periods of inactivity, with more emphasis on education and rehabilitation, to include active reconditioning in an attempt to decrease the risk of reinjury. For individuals with chronic back pain, referral to a multidisciplinary chronic pain center may be necessary.