The pain experienced with both acute and chronic back pain can have similarities, however the way each of these conditions respond can be drastically different.  

Acute back pain is defined as pain or a condition a patient has experienced for less than 3 continuous months. Chronic back pain on the other hand is where a patient has experienced pain and dysfunction for greater than 3 months with standard treatment measures providing no lasting solution.

The concern for the majority of chronic back pain patients, is they go from practitioner to practitioner frustrated in not being able to find a lasting solution to their pain.

There is a lot of confusion inside the health industry as to the differences between various modalities that all claim to assist people suffering from back pain. What makes things even more confusing for the back pain sufferer, is that many of the modalities hold conflicting views on the cause of back pain and treatment approach required to alleviate it. As expected most practitioners are bias towards their studied modality, often times to the point of being blind sighted to the validity of other modalities and the techniques they incorporate in treatment.

Almost all techniques incorporated by practitioners are dedicated to alleviating tension in the body. No matter if it is chiro, physio, massage, acupuncture, they are all dedicated to releasing held tension in the muscles, joints and connective tissues of the body.

The acute back pain sufferer responds well to this treatment, as their pain is derived from the tension present in their back. Compensatory patterns and weaknesses have not established, resulting in lasting relief from the quality treatment they seek.

To the chronic back pain sufferer however, they too experience pain derived from the tension in their back, however the quality treatment they receive only provides short term relief from their pain. The pain soon returns, due to compensatory (protecting) patterns that are ingrained and the muscular imbalances that are placing constant load on the joints, muscles and connective tissue of the back.

So in summary the chronic back pain sufferer will only receive short term relief to standard therapy, as standard modalities focus on eradicating tension present in the body.

The chronic back pain sufferer needs to see a practitioner who specialises in chronic back pain. A practitioner who uses quality treatment to reduce pain and reduce function with the chief aim to commence the rehabilitation process of strengthening the body so the pain does not return.