Chronic low back pain is pain lasting three months or longer. About 20 percent of people affected by acute low back pain develop chronic low back pain with persistent symptoms at one year.
When low back pain is a persistent lingering symptom or side effect, it may indicate an underlying spinal condition. Often, this symptom can be linked to an identifiable cause such as herniated discs or spinal stenosis. Patients suffering from chronic pain are recommended to seek a spine surgeon’s opinion for further evaluation and treatment.