Neurológia pre prax 1/2018

Low back pain in the elderly

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common disabling conditions among adults 60+ years old. The severity and chronicity of this clinical syndrome clearly increase with age. The annual prevalence of LBP in the elderly population ranges between 13–50%. Pain is usually caused by functional and non-specific degenerative changes of the spine, but in the elderly population the different types of pathology such as osteoporotic fractures, spinal tumors, or infections, may play a role. Diagnostic procedure should be focused on detection of symptoms of serious spinal pathology, called red flags. Insufficient pain treatment may lead to sleep disturbances, mental disorders, malnutrition, multiple falls, rapid deterioration in self-care, and social isolation. The aim of this work is to highlight the specifics related to the causes, diagnosis and conservative treatment of LBP in elderly patients.

Keywords: pain, lumbar spine, elderly, treatment