Backache is one of the most common medical complaints, particularly among adults. Backache usually refers to pain in your muscles, intervertebral joints, spinal nerves, or sometimes bone-on-bone pain. The type of pain you are having can help your physician pinpoint the cause.

Backache can be categorized as acute or chronic. Acute pain is often temporary and can improve on its own, frequently without treatment or with the assistance of a mild pain relieving medication. Acute backache usually lasts anywhere from a couple of days to several weeks. Chronic back pain is more long-term and can extend beyond several months. The pain can often be progressive, getting worse over time.

Once your medical practitioner determines the cause of the pain, there are usually appropriate treatments either to relieve the symptoms or to eliminate the pain source altogether. With appropriate treatment, your backache can often be resolved or managed with strategies that enable you to resume most of your normal activities.