According to clinical guidelines from Denmark, UK and US
| Recommendations | Acute low back pain (less than six weeks duration) | Chronic low back pain (more than 12 weeks duration) |
|---|---|---|
| First line treatments | Advice to stay active; patient education | Advice to stay active; patient education; exercise therapy; cognitive behavioural therapy |
| Second line treatments | Spinal manipulation; massage; acupuncture | Spinal manipulation; massage; acupuncture; yoga; mindfulness-based stress reduction; interdisciplinary rehabilitation |
| If the above treatments fail | Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors; surgery |
