The pharmacotherapy of low back pain
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Date
Authors
Greeff, Oppel Bernhardt Wilhelm
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MedPharm Publications
Abstract
About 60-80% of patients visiting a pharmacy have at some stage in their lives suffered from low back pain. The annual incidence in adults aged 35-55 years in developed countries is up to 45%. The differential diagnosis is broad and includes muscular strain, primary spine disease like disc herniation or degenerative arthritis, systemic diseases like metastatic cancer and regional diseases like aortic aneurisms. In the majority of cases, a specific diagnosis cannot be made. Most patients will improve in 1-4 weeks and will only need treatment for the acute symptoms after the initial history and physical examination. If, however, the pain recurs or worsens, the patient must be thoroughly examined and a specific diagnosis can become a challenge.
Description
Keywords
Patients, Diagnosis, Low back pain (LBP), Acute symptoms
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Greeff, OBW 2016, 'The pharmacotherapy of low back pain', SA Pharmaceutical Journal, vol. 83, no. 5, pp. 18-22.