Blood tests are generally not used to diagnose the cause ofback pain, but they are sometimes used—particularly if your healthcare provider suspects an infection orinflammatory arthritis.When trying to find the cause of your back pain, your healthcare provider will likely take a medical history, perform a physical exam, and possibly order some diagnostic tests.Such tests generally do not diagnose spine pain.For example, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (part of the National Institutes for Health or NIH) says that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reveal abnormalities in the spine, but you may not feel pain or experience other symptoms at all.The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases also says that healthy, pain-free people can have elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), a blood test historically used as a marker for inflammation.Andrew Brookes / Cultura / Getty ImagesCommon TestsBelow is a list of the most common blood tests used for back pain.Complete blood count (CBC) may point to infections or inflammation.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) is a measure of inflammation that may suggest infection.If your ESR indicates that inflammation is present, the possibility for an underlying cause may be some form of arthritis or, more rarely, a tumor.C-reactive protein(CRP) is another blood test that is used to measure inflammation that may indicate an infection or some forms of arthritis.HLA-B27 is a genetic marker in the blood that is more common in people with ankylosing spondylitis andreactive arthritis.A test for this marker may be done if your healthcare provider suspects either disease. Ankylosing spondylitis is one type of inflammatory arthritis that usually first affects the sacroiliac joints and hips, and later the spine.Reactive arthritis is a type of arthritis that occurs after an infection in a different body system or area.

Blood tests are generally not used to diagnose the cause ofback pain, but they are sometimes used—particularly if your healthcare provider suspects an infection orinflammatory arthritis.

When trying to find the cause of your back pain, your healthcare provider will likely take a medical history, perform a physical exam, and possibly order some diagnostic tests.Such tests generally do not diagnose spine pain.

For example, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (part of the National Institutes for Health or NIH) says that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reveal abnormalities in the spine, but you may not feel pain or experience other symptoms at all.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases also says that healthy, pain-free people can have elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), a blood test historically used as a marker for inflammation.

Andrew Brookes / Cultura / Getty Images

Blood tube sitting on blood results with technician at microscope in lab

Common Tests

Below is a list of the most common blood tests used for back pain.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dansie EJ, Turk DC.Assessment of patients with chronic pain.Br J Anaesth. 2013;111(1):19–25. doi:10.1093/bja/aet124Back Pain. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Harrison M.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein.Aust Prescr. 2015;38(3):93–94. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.034Sproston NR, Ashworth JJ.Role of C-Reactive Protein at Sites of Inflammation and Infection.Front Immunol. 2018;9:754. Published 2018 Apr 13. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2018.00754McMichael A, Bowness P.HLA-B27: natural function and pathogenic role in spondyloarthritis.Arthritis Res. 2002;4 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):S153–S158. doi:10.1186/ar571Sieper J, Braun J, Rudwaleit M, Boonen A, Zink A.Ankylosing spondylitis: an overview.Ann Rheum Dis. 2002;61 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):iii8–iii18. doi:10.1136/ard.61.suppl_3.iii8Hamdulay SS, Glynne SJ, Keat A.When is arthritis reactive?.Postgrad Med J. 2006;82(969):446–453. doi:10.1136/pgmj.2005.044057Additional ReadingLi Y, Liu J, Liu ZZ, Duan DP.Inflammation in low back pain may be detected from the peripheral blood: suggestions for biomarker.Biosci Rep. 2016;36(4):e00361. Published 2016 Aug 5. doi:10.1042/BSR20160187

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dansie EJ, Turk DC.Assessment of patients with chronic pain.Br J Anaesth. 2013;111(1):19–25. doi:10.1093/bja/aet124Back Pain. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Harrison M.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein.Aust Prescr. 2015;38(3):93–94. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.034Sproston NR, Ashworth JJ.Role of C-Reactive Protein at Sites of Inflammation and Infection.Front Immunol. 2018;9:754. Published 2018 Apr 13. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2018.00754McMichael A, Bowness P.HLA-B27: natural function and pathogenic role in spondyloarthritis.Arthritis Res. 2002;4 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):S153–S158. doi:10.1186/ar571Sieper J, Braun J, Rudwaleit M, Boonen A, Zink A.Ankylosing spondylitis: an overview.Ann Rheum Dis. 2002;61 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):iii8–iii18. doi:10.1136/ard.61.suppl_3.iii8Hamdulay SS, Glynne SJ, Keat A.When is arthritis reactive?.Postgrad Med J. 2006;82(969):446–453. doi:10.1136/pgmj.2005.044057Additional ReadingLi Y, Liu J, Liu ZZ, Duan DP.Inflammation in low back pain may be detected from the peripheral blood: suggestions for biomarker.Biosci Rep. 2016;36(4):e00361. Published 2016 Aug 5. doi:10.1042/BSR20160187

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Dansie EJ, Turk DC.Assessment of patients with chronic pain.Br J Anaesth. 2013;111(1):19–25. doi:10.1093/bja/aet124Back Pain. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Harrison M.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein.Aust Prescr. 2015;38(3):93–94. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.034Sproston NR, Ashworth JJ.Role of C-Reactive Protein at Sites of Inflammation and Infection.Front Immunol. 2018;9:754. Published 2018 Apr 13. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2018.00754McMichael A, Bowness P.HLA-B27: natural function and pathogenic role in spondyloarthritis.Arthritis Res. 2002;4 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):S153–S158. doi:10.1186/ar571Sieper J, Braun J, Rudwaleit M, Boonen A, Zink A.Ankylosing spondylitis: an overview.Ann Rheum Dis. 2002;61 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):iii8–iii18. doi:10.1136/ard.61.suppl_3.iii8Hamdulay SS, Glynne SJ, Keat A.When is arthritis reactive?.Postgrad Med J. 2006;82(969):446–453. doi:10.1136/pgmj.2005.044057

Dansie EJ, Turk DC.Assessment of patients with chronic pain.Br J Anaesth. 2013;111(1):19–25. doi:10.1093/bja/aet124

Back Pain. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Harrison M.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein.Aust Prescr. 2015;38(3):93–94. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.034

Sproston NR, Ashworth JJ.Role of C-Reactive Protein at Sites of Inflammation and Infection.Front Immunol. 2018;9:754. Published 2018 Apr 13. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2018.00754

McMichael A, Bowness P.HLA-B27: natural function and pathogenic role in spondyloarthritis.Arthritis Res. 2002;4 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):S153–S158. doi:10.1186/ar571

Sieper J, Braun J, Rudwaleit M, Boonen A, Zink A.Ankylosing spondylitis: an overview.Ann Rheum Dis. 2002;61 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):iii8–iii18. doi:10.1136/ard.61.suppl_3.iii8

Hamdulay SS, Glynne SJ, Keat A.When is arthritis reactive?.Postgrad Med J. 2006;82(969):446–453. doi:10.1136/pgmj.2005.044057

Li Y, Liu J, Liu ZZ, Duan DP.Inflammation in low back pain may be detected from the peripheral blood: suggestions for biomarker.Biosci Rep. 2016;36(4):e00361. Published 2016 Aug 5. doi:10.1042/BSR20160187

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