Low back pain, a common problem

Eighty to ninety percent of all people have low back pain some time in their lives. Research indicates most people show improvement in the first two weeks and have their greatest reduction in symptoms in the first six weeks. However, they frequently will have some level of ongoing symptoms for three months or more.

Ten to twenty percent of people have symptoms as long as a year. Most people are able to function and do their jobs during their episode of back pain; however, this may largely depend on their job requirements. Productivity may be decreased and some activities curtailed, but this may not be that much different than an episode of cold or flu, and more typically like a severe ankle sprain or broken bone. Nature heals, just not as fast as we want it to.