However, clinicians should determine the following if possible: Whether pain has a spinal or extraspinal cause Whether the cause is a serious disorder If serious causes have been ruled out, back pain is sometimes classified as follows: Nonspecific neck or low back pain Neck or low back pain with radicular symptoms Lumbar spinal stenosis with claudication (neurogenic) or cervical stenosis with myelopathy Neck or low back pain associated with another spinal cause History History of present illness should include quality, onset, duration, severity, location, radiation, time course of pain, and alleviating and exacerbating factors such as rest, activity, changes in position, weight bearing, and time of day (eg, at night, when awakening).