When you have a sitting job, the chance of developing a stenose in your L1-L5 vertebrae when getting older is very large. You need to get off your chair at least once an hour walking around a bit, also you need to do low impact sports like walking the park or something like that. For acute back problems you need at least do mobilizing exercises for the lower back and if a vertebrae stays stuck you can opt for a chiropractor to force it to go lose. Most back problems that cause back pains are stuck vertebrae that make muscles working hard to compensate. So deal with your issues and don't wait or rest, that makes it much worse. My experience in acute situations is that mobilizing exercises can take 3-4 weeks to make the pains go completely, after a few days however they already get rid of the worst pains like nerve pains from stuck nerves between vertebrae. After that period I personally start mobilizing exercises immediately when I feel the slightest back pains and then it helps within a few days and keep the pain levels low, so keep exercising. Since doing these exercises, my need for painkillers for back pains went away.