Lumbar degenerative disk disease: Workup and conservative treatment

Abstract

Low back pain (LBP) is a common complaint, with over 80 % of the population experiencing an episode of LBP during their lives [1]. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 29 % of interviewees had experienced LBP pain at some point during the previous 3 months [2]. Usually, the clinical course is benign and most patients recover within a few months. It has been reported that over 90 % of patients will recover within 3–6 months [1, 3].