Questions to ask the doctor treating low back pain and spine problems. Back pain and spine problems can have many causes. Not all back pain is dueto disorders of the spine.
Back pain can also be the result of trouble with theorgans of the abdomen or chest.
Tumors of theinternal organs, as well as a number of other medical problems, can lead to aslow, progressive deep back pain that can sometimes be hard for a doctor toseparate from spine problems. The most common cause of back pain, however, seems to come from the musclesand many joints that are involved in the support and motion of the trunk of thebody. About 3 percent of all spine operations areperformed on teenagers. Various potentially painful conditions related to thespine become progressively more common with advancing age. Degenerative andinflammatory arthritis affecting the joints of the spine increases withadvancing age.