How common is lower back pain?

Lower back pain is common enough that a reader can be fairly sure they are not the only person in the waiting room.

How many people have it

Wikipedia reports that about 40% of people have low back pain at some point in their lives, with estimates as high as 80% among people in the developed world. The spread between those two figures is wide.

Who is affected most

Wikipedia also says low back pain is more common among people aged between 40 and 80 years, with the overall number of individuals affected expected to increase as the population ages. We take that as a general pattern, not a forecast for any one person.

Next steps for your own back

How common a problem is says nothing about what yours needs or costs. Ask the office what exam comes first and whether its estimate is a ballpark or a firm quote. For background, see OrthoInfo on low back pain, the NIAMS back pain overview, and MedlinePlus on pain.

Comparing offices for a common complaint

Frequency is a reason to compare offices, not to accept the first figure. In Garfield or nearby, ask for an itemized answer even for a common complaint.