What is the difference between chronic back pain and sciatica?

Refer to answer: Any pain lasting more than three weeks is called chronic pain. Sciatica is the pain caused pressure on the sciatic nerve roots in the spine from external compression.

Several: Chronic when referred to pain is pain lasting longer than 3 months. Back pain can have multiple causes and may or may not be associated with any pain that will travel down a leg past the knee which would be termed a sciatica. Sciatica most commonly occurs due to disc herniation compressing one or more nerves that form the sciatic nerve in the leg. There can be other causes of sciatica.

Well: Not a lot of difference unless the chronic back pain is due to other sources such as arthritis of the spine or muscle irritation. Likely if its chronic, sciatica is a big part of your back pain. Remember Sciatica does not have to go down the leg, it can cause back pain as a sole symptom.