Back pain

This factsheet is for people who have back pain or would like to know more about it.

Back pain is extremely common - about eight in ten people in the UK are affected at some time in their lives. Each year, close to five million working days are lost due to back pain.

Acute and chronic back pain
Back pain can affect anyone at any age, although people are most likely to get it between the ages of 35 and 55.

If the pain lasts for less than three months, it's called acute back pain. Acute refers to how long it's lasted for rather than how severe it is. If the problem goes on for longer, it's known as chronic back pain.

How the back worksThe spine is made up of many small bones called vertebrae. These are separated by discs, which allow the spine to bend. This structure of vertebrae and discs is supported along its length by muscles and ligaments. The spine threads through the centre of each vertebra, carrying nerves from the brain to the rest of the body.