title: Back pain: medical evaluation and therapy.
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.
authors.affiliation: Center for the Spine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mazanec
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008349:Manipulation, Orthopedic; D008875:Middle Aged; D012585:Sciatica / Q000150:complications; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics