My 14-year-old son frequently complains of lower back pain. The doctor said he can't find anything so why does my son keep complaining? Is he making it up for attention?

It used to be thought that back pain in children was rare and when it did occur, the pain was usually caused by something serious. Over the years, however, doctors have learned that children and teens can experience back pain at the same rate as adults.

Lower back pain is very common among adults in the developed world and the most recent numbers that have come to light regarding children, is that as many as 36 percent of them may have lower back pain, with the number increasing if the child or teen participates in competitive sports.

Much of lower back pain, for both adults and children, is never diagnosed. As long as your son has been tested and examined for his back pain, and the doctors have not diagnosed an injury or problem, it's likely that your son's problem falls into the "unknown" category.