21st August 2020

A 54-year-old woman presents to her GP with back pain that has come on insidiously over the last week

A 54-year-old woman presents to her GP with back pain that has come on insidiously over the last week after she spent the day moving house. On further questioning, she mentions that she sometimes gets shooting pains down her left leg. She’s not noticed any weakness in her legs, and her bladder and bowel continence are unaffected. She says that the pain eases a bit when she is in bed and is a constant ache, not getting better or worse with activity. She is currently unable to work as a nurse due to the pain. Which diagnosis is the most likely?

Select the SINGLE most appropriate option from the list below. Select ONE option only.