Duration of Back Pain

The term acute back pain is generally defined as severe or sharp pain of recent and relatively rapid onset of less than three months duration. It may occur after an injury or after a simple movement which is not immediately associated with pain. The term recurrent back pain refers to pain which resolves and comes back. The interval between reoccurrences may vary from a few days to a few weeks, months and even many years. The pain may reoccur with similar predisposing activities or situations. The term chronic back pain is generally defined as pain that persist for 3 months or more. During that time pain may persist but vary in its intensity.