Back pain is pain felt in the back. T he back is divided into neck pain (cervical), middle back pain (thoracic), lower back pain (lumbar) or coccydynia (tailbone or sacral pain) based on the segment affected.  The lumbar area is the most common area affected.   Episodes of back pain may be acute, sub-acute, or chronic depending on the duration. The pain may be characterised as a dull ache, shooting or piercing pain, or a burning sensation. Discomfort can radiate into the arms and hands s and as well as the legs or feet  and may include numbness or weakness in the legs and arms.

The majority of back pain is nonspecific with no identifiable causes.  Common underlying mechanisms include degenerative or traumatic changes to the discs and facets joints, which can then cause secondary pain in the muscles and nerves and referred pain to the bones, joints  and extremities. Diseases and inflammation of the gallbladder, pancreas, aorta and kidneys may also causereferred pain in the back. Tumours of the vertebrae, neural tissues and adjacent structures can also manifest as back pain.