Both can develop suddenly or gradually but usually get better within a few weeks. Back pain can be caused by a minor injury, such as a sprain or strain. Sometimes you can get this type of

back pain from feeling stressed or run down. However, there are medical conditions that can cause back pain such as a slipped disc, sciatica, ankylosing spondylitis, and spondylolisthesis.

These conditions are treated differently to non-specific back pain, and could become a serious problem.