ABSTRACT
Low back pain ranks as one of the primary causes of disability around the world, accounts for the most frequent diagnosed musculoskeletal disorders affecting persons annually, and is a leading cause of global disability. Low back pain is localized to the lumbosacral region. There may be a radicular component if there is compression on an exiting nerve root. Typically, there are five lumbar vertebrae and five respective intervertebral discs between those vertebrae. The most common cause for acute low back pain is musculoskeletal or lumbar muscular strain. Another common cause may be from degenerative disc disease or spondylosis as the disc itself is innervated by nerves. If the cause of acute back pain is a herniated disc, with associated radiculopathy, and conservative treatment failed, then the patient may be referred to a surgeon. The surgeon may consider a microdiscectomy, laminectomy, and/or foraminotomy.
