Are you experiencing low back pain that occurs suddenly without injury, and you are wondering what is causing it and how long it will take to cure.
This article will only focus on acute low back pain which affects individuals who have not had any recent back pain.
As usual I will rely on scientific studies from international literature and my knowledge as a diagnostic radiographer.
Happy reading!😀 and feel free to ask questions in the comments or share your own experience.🙏
Last updated: June, 2025. Written by Juliet Semakula, Radiographer | Guiding better bone healing with facts, not fluff.
Disclaimer :Amazon affiliate links, full disclosure in the legal section
▶️What is lumbago? A common and benign back pain.
The two main types of low back pain in the lumbar area people normally complain about.
1️⃣Lumbago, also known as acute low back pain, occurs suddenly.
2️⃣Chronic low back pain: pain in the lower back that has been present, either intermittently for about 3 months or more.
This article will only focus on acute low back pain which affects individuals who have not had any recent back pain.
Acute lumbago or low back pain is defined as pain extending from the lowest rib to the buttocks and sometimes even the lower limbs. It can range from a dull ache to a sharp, sudden pain.
It limits the function of your muscles in the lumbar spine region especially when you bend, lift or get up from a sitting position.
Lumbago is very common; it estimates that up to 60% of all patients presenting to a primary care physician will complain of back pain in the United Kingdom.
⚪I believe half of us have experienced this kind of pain in our lifetime.
⚪ Even if the pain is very intense and bothersome at the beginning, just know that pain will decrease no matter what you do and you will not have complications.
| Food for thought! I It is important to understand that pain does not reflect the extent of the severity of pain from low back problems. For example, a pulled muscle in the low back can cause excruciating pain that can limit your ability to walk. Whereas a large, herniated disc can be completely painless. |
▶️What causes sudden severe lower back pain?
Various factors can cause or contribute to acute lower back pain, including.
♦️Muscle strain or sprains.
♦️Poor posture for example prolonged sitting or standing can place excessive stress on the lower back, triggering pain and discomfort.
♦️ Injuries such as falls or sports can result in lumbago due to damage to the muscles, ligaments or vertebra.
♦️Sedentary lifestyle.
♦️Medical conditions if you have other underlying conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis this can contribute to lumbago.
♦️Sudden movements or awkward lifting.
♦️Obesity can strain the lower back, increasing the risk of lumbago.
♦️Underlying spinal conditions.
▶️What are the symptoms of lumbago?
🔴Pain in the lower back, ranging from dull ache to sharp, sudden pain.
🔴Stiffness and decreased flexibility in the lower back.
🔴Pain that may worsen with certain movements or at night.
🔴Possible muscle spasms or cramps.
🔴In some cases, pain may radiate down the buttocks and legs (sciatica).
▶️How to be sure it’s lumbago?
There are many anatomical structures in the low back that can cause severe lower back pain and/or pain that radiates into the legs and/or feet this alone makes it difficult to diagnose the actual cause of pain.
For example, the lower back is composed of:
⬛Soft tissue such as muscles, ligaments and tendons
⬛Bones of the spine (lumber)
⬛Facet joints which allow the spine to move.
⬛Spine discs can be a source of low back pain due to its rich nerve supply.
⬛Nerves which branch out from the spinal cord in the low back.
All these structures are interwoven to make up the structure of the lower spine and there is a great deal of overlap of nerve supply making it difficult for the brain to distinguish between for example a torn disc can feel identical to a bruised muscle or torn ligament.
So, the only way you can be sure the pain you are experiencing is lumbago is to consult your doctor to fully examine your symptoms to confirm its lumbago.
For example when you go to the doctors, there are two main factors that guide them in making a preliminary diagnosis.
1️⃣The type of low back pain you have, how does the pain feel, what makes it better or worse when it occurs.
2️⃣The area of pain distribution is your pain radiating elsewhere in the body.
Having severe or mild low back pain does not mean your condition is severe. For example, two people can have the exact same pain, but for one it is incapacitating and for the other it is a mere nuisance.so stay positive and follow your doctors’ instructions.
The role of seeing a doctor is to reassure you, it is very rare that additional tests such as x-ray, blood tests or MRI will be needed.
These tests do not help treat acute low back pain, sometimes they can only create anxiety and unnecessary over treatment.
Dozens of studies show that these treatments do not necessarily provide significant benefits. However, a general agreement on the best pharmacological treatment is still missing.
The goal is to identify any potential warning signs that may indicate an underlying condition causing the low back pain.
▶️What is a red flag for acute low back pain?
Here are these warning signs. Even if you have one or more of these signs, it does not necessarily mean you have an additional condition. Simply consult a healthcare professional who will refine the diagnosis.
⚪Fever
⚪Lumbar pain.
⚪Unexplained weight loss.
⚪Bladder or bowel dysfunction.
⚪History of carcinoma.
⚪Presence of other medical illness.
⚪Progressive neurological deficit.
⚪Disturbed gait, saddle anaesthesia.
Even if you have one or more of these signs, it does not necessarily mean you have an additional condition. Simply consult your doctor who will refine the diagnosis
▶️What can be mistaken for lower back pain?
The presence of these red flags warrants a further workup to rule out serious aetiologies of acute low back pain such as major intra-abdominal pathology, cauda equina syndrome, fractures and malignancy which can be mistaken for back pain.
See et al 2021
Lower back pain can be mistaken for pain originating from other organs or conditions.
⚪Kidney problems, like infections or stones, can cause pain that radiates to the lower back.
⚪If you have issues with the pancreas, bowel, or reproductive organs (like uterine fibroids or endometriosis) can also manifest as back pain.
⚪Additionally, conditions like sciatica, SI joint dysfunction, or even a pinched nerve can be confused with general lower back pain
And many other health issues can cause acute back pain, so It’s crucial to be able to distinguish between all these pains and It’s important to see a doctor for an examination for proper diagnosis.
▶️How long does acute low back pain last?
We first need to clarify the duration of what we are discussing. Are we talking about the duration of
⚫Pain
⚫Difficulty in moving
⚫Sensation of loss of flexibility
⚫All the above.
Be optimistic: intense pain diminishes very quickly, usually within a few hours or a few days at most. Sometimes, it may take 3 to 5 days to see improvement, but the pain will decrease regardless of what you do.
For many people, the pain completely disappears within a few days to a few weeks.
Here are some numbers retrieved from scientific studies about the progression of back pain.
Of the 1077 patients who were involved in research that measured weekly pain intensity and variation measures.
six hundred and seventy-five participants were followed over the course of three years, with: baseline; six-week; three-month; six-month; nine-month; one-year; two-year; and three-year follow up visits.
Results
⚫36% of individuals have no pain at all within a maximum of 2 weeks.
⚫34% have no pain at all within a maximum of 12 weeks.
⚫14% have their pain decrease but not completely disappear within 12 weeks.
⚫Less than 10% of those who still reported pain after 3-months to a decrease at 1-year.
⚫5% have high levels of pain that persist for 12 weeks.
Menezes Costa 2012
In other words, you have a 1 in 3 chance of having no pain at all within a maximum of 2 weeks. In 95% of cases, your pain will decrease.
There is no maximum duration for a lumbago or lower back pain, it is much more likely that your pain will last for 2 weeks or in any case less than 3 months.
Regardless of what we do, back pain will heal on its own because our bodies have self-healing capabilities when structures are injured.
▶️How to manage lumbago pain? Three best things to do at home to help you.
Focus of managing lumbago (lower back pain) is normally on:
1️⃣Finding ways for pain relief.
2️⃣Help you maintain your day’s activities with no pain.
3️⃣Help strengthening back and core muscles
Your doctor may establish these treatment options, but these will depend on the kind of pain you have.
Pain relief medication:
🟣Your doctor may prescribe NSAIDs like ibuprofen can help reduce pain and inflammation. Paracetamol can be used, but it’s more effective when combined with an NSAID.
🟣Heat or cold therapy sometimes helps with lower back pain.it is normally short term thou.
🟣Topical treatments such as creams or patches with pain relieving ingredients which are also for temporary relief.
Only NSAIDs seem to have a small short-term effect on reducing lumbago pain, but their use is not necessarily essential.
If your doctor has not prescribed any medication, be relieved, this means they are fully adhering to the national guidelines. your pain will decrease, and you will not risk any side effects.
Maintaining activity
🟣You will be advised to avoid prolonged bed rest, as it can worsen stiffness and pain. You will be encouraged to take gentle activities such as walking and swimming.
🟣Avoid heavy lifting or twisting but do not stop your activities completely.
🟣Try to maintain good posture when sitting, lifting or standing to minimise strain on your back.
▶️Should you follow physical therapy sessions?
There are fewer studies on the effects of physical therapy compared to the effects of medication.
People who undergo physical therapy sessions do not heal faster and are not more relieved than those who do not.
The work of physical therapy is to reassure you because this is a form of treatment, except when you need help staying active or need more time to be reassured.
Here are some passive techniques often used by physical therapists in the United Kingdom for acute back pain and are talked about in scientific studies.
Strengthening and stretching core muscles
🟣Trying exercises that may help strengthen your core muscles can provide better support for your back.
🟣Tens (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)
🟣Application of health
🟣Manual therapy, osteopathy (Young,2020)
🟣Spinal manipulation (Rubinstein,2012)
🟣Physical therapy massage
There are few high-quality studies on the effectiveness of these techniques. People who receive this type of care do not heal faster.
At best, their pain is slightly less intense in the short term, by about 1 to 2 points on a scale of 10.
But this effect is not found in all studies, which are already of low quality, raising significant questions about the usefulness of these techniques.
Other things you can do to help improve low back pain.
🟣If you are overweight, trying to manage and maintain a healthy weight may help reduce stress on your back.
🟣You can adjust your sleeping pasture to minimise strain on your back.
🟣Reduce unhealthy habits if you can such as smoking because it is known to hinder healing.
🟣some people who use back Support Belt for Lower Back Pain find them useful for Daily Work & Activity. You can see on Amazon different types.
| Key points to take home ⚫Whatever you do, there is a 1 in 3 chance that your pain will disappear completely within 2 weeks or 12 weeks. ⚫Medication is often not unnecessary for relieving lumbago pain. ⚫Physical therapy sessions are not necessarily useful. There is no miracle solution to quickly reduce back pain however new falsely promising gadgets are marketed every year. |
We have come to the end of this article, wishing you a quick recovery! 🙋any questions let’s meet in the comments section.
📚Source:
See QY, Tan JB, Kumar DS. Acute low back pain: diagnosis and management. Singapore Med J. 2021 Jun;62(6):271-275. doi: 10.11622/smedj.2021086. PMID: 34409471; PMCID: PMC8801838.
Rubinstein SM, Terwee CB, Assendelft WJ, de Boer MR, van Tulder MW. Spinal manipulative therapy for acute low-back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Sep 12;2012(9):CD008880. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008880.pub2. PMID: 22972127; PMCID: PMC6885055.
Young C, Argáez C. Manual Therapy for Chronic Non-Cancer Back and Neck Pain: A Review of Clinical Effectiveness [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health; 2020 Feb 11. PMID: 33074610.
Perna A, Ricciardi L, Barone G, Tamburrelli FC, Proietti L, Pola E. Medical management of acute non-specific low back pain: comparison of different medical treatments, one center’s retrospective analysis. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2018 Nov-Dec;32(6 Suppl. 1):121-129. PMID: 30644292.
The prognosis of acute and persistent low-back pain: a meta-analysis Luciola da C. Menezes Costa, Christopher G. Maher, Mark J. Hancock, James H. McAuley, Robert D. Herbert, Leonardo O.P. Costa CMAJ Aug 2012, 184 (11) E613-E624; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.111271