Low Back Pain - What Happens

SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS

The course of low back pain depends both on its cause and on how well you treat your back.

  • Most low back pain lasts less than 3 months.
    • In 60 out 100 people, low back pain goes away within 1 week.
    • In 90 out of 100 people, low back pain goes away within 6 weeks.
    • In 95 out of 100 people, low back pain goes away within 3 months.
    • In more than 98 out of 100 people, low back pain is gone within 1 year.1
  • After you hurt your back, you're more likely to hurt it again. Many people who recover have back pain again within a year. Most people will have it again sometime during their lives.
  • Long-lasting (chronic) pain not only makes you tired, irritable, and less productive and active but also can trigger other problems. If your back pain causes you to use your body in different ways (for example to limp or to sit differently), pain can develop in other areas of the body. Pain can also cause biochemical changes in your body that tend to keep the pain going. Without special treatment, you may get chronic pain syndrome.
By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: May 5, 2011
Medical Review: Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Robert B. Keller, MD - Orthopedics

1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

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