What is the Prognosis of Back Pain?

Back pain is a common complaint. Read to know the prognosis for back pain.

• Prognosis of back pain can be variable. Like some people may have minor episodes of acute back pain and recover completely where as others may have chronic (that is long periods) of mild to moderate back pain that are interrupted by periods of severe pain. This can severely affect their normal daily activities and quality of life.
• Most people with back pain start to improve in couple of days to a few weeks. And most people recover completely in six weeks. According to a study about 40% recovered completely within six weeks, 58% became pain-free within 12 weeks and 73% were pain-free within one year. In about 90 per cent of the people back pain is likely to recur within a year.
• Back pain, particularly chronic back pain is affected by psychological and social factors as well. Like a person who is happy and has a positive frame of mind is more likely to make a faster recovery as compared to people who report symptoms of depression and are unhappy with one or more aspects of their life. Some people with chronic back pain may be benefitted from psychological treatment in addition the medications for back pain.

If your back pain persists for more than a few days, consult a doctor to diagnose the cause of pain. You will be treated based on the underlying cause.

Read more articles on Back Pain Diagnosis and Prognosis