Back pain is very common, often because of using poor posture or as a result of subjecting your body to some specific stress. However, when the pain is severe or continues over a prolonged period of time, it’s important to see a doctor to determine the cause. Here are some things you should know.
Back pain, like pain in other areas of the body, can be momentary and not an indication of any serious problem or pathology. It might simply be the result of bad posture, over-exertion, or being hit or bumping into something.
In these cases, the pain usually goes away by itself and there’s no need to see a doctor. Resting, or taking some pain relief medication will often be enough. Doing some exercises like those we recommend in this article can also help:
Exercises for relief of back pain
Unfortunately, these measures are not always enough to reduce pain, and there are times when it is necessary to see a specialist to find out if there may be a more serious problem. This article offers information on these more serious cases and how to recognize them so you can take steps to protect the health of your spinal column, or that of someone you care about. Take note!
You should see a doctor if any of the following apply to you
To know whether you need to see a specialist or not, begin by reviewing the following points. If one or more of these is true of your case, we recommend that you see a doctor to have your case evaluated and determine the cause of the problem:
- You experience back pain for the first time
- You have had back pain before, but now it’s completely different from the previous times
- The pain is very intense and non-prescription pain relief medications do not reduce pain
- Pain does not improve after 3 days, despite taking a rest from activity or taking pain relief medication.
- The pain lasts for more than 7 days
- Neck pain that radiates to your arm, or low back pain that radiates to your leg and the pain is even stronger in those areas than it is in the back or neck
- In addition to pain, you notice weakness, loss of feeling and/or muscle spasms
- The pain prevents you from moving, or limits certain movements
- Pain is constant and does not go away despite changing your posture or avoiding certain movements
- You have a fever, general tiredness, or unintended weight loss
- You have another illness or are taking medication
When is it an emergency?
The factors we listed above are enough to warrant consulting a doctor, although they do not necessarily indicate a serious condition. However, if your back pain is accompanied by any of the symptoms described below, you should see a specialist urgently for an evaluation without delay. Consider your case urgent when your pain symptoms are accompanied by any of these:
- Sudden loss of strength in the legs.
- Difficulty standing steadily.
- Sudden, intense pain in the legs.
- Changes in urination, either loss of sphincter control or difficulty urinating
- Loss of feeling in the inner thighs, genital area or anus
Of course, these symptoms alone do not have to imply that you are suffering from a serious condition, but they should be evaluated by a physician to determine the cause and find out what the treatment options are, as well as to prevent major problems.
At Instituto Clavel, we always recommend that you see a doctor as soon as possible, even when the discomfort is mild, because many pathologies of the spinal column, such as herniated discs, can start like this and, if they are caught early, can be corrected without the need for surgery. Sometimes a change in habits or a physical therapy plan is enough to solve the problem and prevent back pain from becoming chronic or disabling.
If you have questions about the back pain that you or a family member is suffering, and you need to see a doctor, our team will be happy to assist you in a personalized way.
In addition, you can find more information about caring for your back and how to prevent back pain, in the articles recommended below. We hope you find them useful!
Categories: Spine treatments, Back pain, Pain Management