If a clear cause for the pain in the back can be identified, it is referred to as “specific” back pain. Here, the triggering cause can be found and determined in the back itself or in other regions of the body. In the most common cases, however, no clear cause for the back pain can be identified. It is referred to as “non-specific” or “unspecific” back pain.

In addition, a distinction is made – depending on the duration – between acute and chronic back pain:

• acute back pain: up to 6 weeks
• subacute back pain: 6 – 12 weeks
• Chronic back pain: longer than 12 weeks.

The most common causes of back pain include:

• Muscle tension
• Stress
• Vertebral fractures
• Causes outside the back (disease of the organs in the abdomen: diseases of the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas or abdominal aorta).
• Inflammatory diseases (rheumatic diseases affecting the spine)
• Cancer
• Infections
• Narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis)
• Bulging and herniated discs