How is low back pain diagnosed?

See below: The first steps are a good history of the back pain, where and when it occurs, how did it start. Questions about family history of a back pain. Then physical examination, then possibly imaging such as xray , ct or mri. After that the doctor will suggest the most likely reason for the back pain and suggest a specific treatment or treatments.

Diagnosis: Exact direction of injury mechanism and symptom constellation suggests which body part of low back & pelvis to examine. Best examination is one that tests each tissue of the body part, i.e., bone, joint, ligament, tendon, muscle, and myofascia; as body part functions in time & space. The direction of gravity acting on body masses stimulates pain transducers & abnormal joint range of motion.

History & Physical: The best method to diagnose the etiology of back pain is a thorough history and physical exam (h&p). Listening carefully to the patient's history and chief complaint can help the clinician focus their efforts. A comprehensive orthopedic and neuro exam can also help pin point anatomic sources of pain and rule out any neurologic compromise. Imaging studies (xr/mri/ct) can help confirm the diagnosis.

Several options: Back pain is usually related to arthritic changes to the spine. Sometime back pain can be related to infections, cancer, fractures, or even other organs such as the kidney, bladder, etc. A good physical exam and possibly imaging can help diagnose the cause of low back pain.