Chronic low back pain: diagnostic approach for primary care

Abstract

BackgroundLow back pain is one of the main complaints in primary care reported by patients, requiring several diagnostic interventions, therapeutic approaches and even entailing disability in young adults. ObjectiveTo provide a clinical approach, diagnostically oriented, for patients frequently consulting primary care. ResultsOf the authors propose a clinical algorithm for the clinical assessment of the patient with chronic low back pain, also considering complementary tests (imaging, blood chemistry, etc.) for the evaluation in primary care of the patient with this pathology. ConclusionsThe proposal provided in this article helps guide the primary care physician through an approach focusing on the semiological characteristics of pain, so that they can correlate with the most frequent diagnoses, in order to refer or direct the patient according to their particular needs.