It is estimated that, during their lifetime, 70 to 85% of the population in the United States will experience a determined type of low back pain. For this reason, back pain is considered a major medical problem that affects a significant part of the population. It leads to medical expenditures, disability, and a reduction in quality of life, and there are various sources and types of back pain to consider if we want to understand what it is about.
One of the most important distinctions we should make is to define what type of back pain we have. That’s the first step of the diagnosis. However, in some cases, back pain is not simply defined by a single entity. Many patients have different types of back pain simultaneously, which complicates the diagnosis and renders the treatment useless when it doesn’t address all the issues.
In this article, we will compare some primary data about back pain and give you an overview and concepts of this problem. You will understand how mechanical low back pain is different from axial low back pain and nerve-related pain. We will also share some critical statistics about this ailment and how it affects people of all ages.