Summary
Differentials
Common
- Lumbar muscular strain/sprain
- Herniated nucleus pulposus
- Spinal stenosis
- Compression fracture
- Degenerative disk disease or facet arthropathy
- Sacroiliitis
Uncommon
- Spondylolysis and/or spondylolisthesis
- Vertebral discitis/osteomyelitis
- Malignancy
- Inflammatory spondyloarthropathy
- Connective tissue disease
- Aortic abdominal aneurysm
- Pancreatitis
- Pyelonephritis
- Renal colic
- Peptic ulcer disease
- Spinal epidural abscess
- Cauda equina syndrome
Contributors
Authors

Associate Professor
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
William Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak
MI
Disclosures
DKP is a paid consultant for Stryker, K2M, and Aegis Spine; and has received royalties from HD LifeSciences.

Professor
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago
IL
Disclosures
KS has received royalties from Zimmer, Stryker, Pioneer, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Thieme, Jaypee Publishing, and Slack Publishing. He holds stock in Avaz Surgical, LLC, and Vital 5, has consulted for Depuy, Zimmer, and Stryker, and is on the board of directors for CSRS, ISASS, AAOS, SRS, Vertebral Column - ISASS. KS has received a CSRS resident grant.
Dr Daniel K. Park and Dr Kern Singh would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Howard S. An, a previous contributor to this topic. HSA declares that he has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Professor of Medicine
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
Division of Rheumatology
Rochester
MN
Disclosures
ELM declares that he has no competing interests.
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