Low back pain, the most common complaint among in the population in the United states, results in the loss of most man-hours, making it an inevitable reason to visit the emergency rooms and the doctor's offices. It also contributes to the loss of billions of dollars in productivity and being a case of excruciating pain and concern, the health care industry profits from the cost of treatments.

Pain may be caused from a variety of reasons. Pain may result from destruction, inflammation, strain or irritation to structures of the lower back including the vertebrae that is the constituents of bony spine, such as cancer, infection, epidural abscess, facet joint arthritis or irritation, conditions that affect discs that is the cushioning cartilage between the vertebrae, resulting in herniation, protrusion, inflammation or infection (discitis), strain of vertebral ligaments or muscles of the lower back, compression or irritation of spinal cord and nerve roots, as well as diseases of internal organs of the pelvis and abdomen (spleen, kidney, pancreas, liver). An abdominal aneurysm in the elderly may result in pressure on the vertebral column.

Acute pain, such as a muscle spasm and/or a ligament strain may usually resolve spontaneously in a few days to weeks. However, an accurate diagnosis of the causative factors is a must and if undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, it can lead to wrong and delayed treatment, and result in a potential chronic and intractable pain resulting in loss of work, unnecessary surgery and suffering.