The frequency in which back pain is diagnosed and treated has markedly increased in the recent years. At present, back pain and dysfunction syndrome is becoming a lifestyle disease, along with hypertension and diabetes. It affects more and more people. Low back pain is currently one of the most common complaints with which patients report to the doctor, including a primary care physician. Depending on the affected part of the spinal motion segment, we can distinguish: discogenic pain, radicular pain, facet joint pain and muscle pain. Unambiguous determination of its aetiology is generally difficult since, usually, several overlapping pathologies are involved. The aim of this paper is to draw attention to the problems associated with back pain and the complexity of its pathomechanism as treatment is adjusted to the site of pathology. This article is based on data from international, broadly cited literature on spinal dysfunctions. Back pain is not usually a very severe condition and can be treated conservatively in most cases. Despite this, it affects a vast number of people and constitutes a considerable financial burden for the state budget. This is associated with costs of medical procedures, but most of all, with absence at work and early opinions of incapacity for work.