What’s the difference between acute back pain and chronic back pain?

Acute pain is a shorter-term pain that can usually be explained by an injury or illness. It’s often relieved by medicines and usually goes away within 12 weeks.

Chronic pain is a longer-lasting pain that can’t always be clearly explained and may not be helped as effectively by medicines alone. It may have more than one cause, and it can be more complex to manage – often affecting your mental wellbeing as well as your physical wellbeing.