Spinal epidural abscess – Spinal epidural abscess is a rare but serious cause of back pain. Initial symptoms (eg, fever and malaise) are often nonspecific; over time, localized back pain may be followed by radicular pain and, left untreated, neurologic deficits. Risk factors include recent spinal injection or epidural catheter placement, injection drug use, and other infections (eg, contiguous bony or soft tissue infection or bacteremia). Immunocompromised patients may also be at higher risk. Urgent antibiotic treatment and surgical therapy for those with neurologic symptoms is required for patients with spinal epidural abscess. (See "Spinal epidural abscess".)