According to healthcare professionals, back pain is a common complaint among their patients. In fact, statistics show that about 80 percent of Americans go to their doctors about back pain once or twice per year. Approximately eight percent of those are further diagnosed with chronic pain that will affect their everyday lives.
While a lot of back pain can be managed with over-the-counter medication and rest, there are certain times when you don’t want to leave matters in your own hands.
What Can Cause Serious Back Pain
In many cases, serious back pain can be caused by an injury such as a fall or an accident that damages structures in your back. An injury can result in sudden but temporary pain known as acute back pain or long-lasting issues known as chronic back pain.
However, there are some chronic conditions that can cause significant back pain as well. The list includes osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, Ankylosing spondylitis, and degenerative disc disease.
Interestingly, some chronic pain is caused by conditions that aren’t even related to the spine. If you have fibroids, endometriosis, or pancreatitis, you may also experience pain in your lower back.
5 Signs Your Back Pain Is Serious
1. The Pain Is Sharp
Many people describe the initial pain from a back injury as being sharp followed by a persistent dull ache. If your pain is consistently sharp, it’s possible that it’s being caused by a serious injury like a torn muscle or ligament. It’s best to have this treated by a doctor.
2. The Pain Radiates
Generally, back pain tends to be concentrated on the area that has been hurt. When the pain radiates or shoots into your legs, it could be a sign that important nerves are being compressed. If left untreated, the pain will only get worse and could start to affect your mobility.
3. There’s Muscle Or Limb Weakness
Another sign that you have a serious nerve condition is sudden weakness in your muscles or limbs. You might experience this in a variety of ways that include trouble maintaining your balance, trouble walking, and trouble controlling your bladder or bowel movements.
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4. There’s Numbness Or Tingling
Numbness in your groin or gluteal muscles can be a sign of damage to the nerves or spine. This numbness is known as saddle anesthesia and it creates a ‘pins and needles’ sensation.
When paired with weakness and incontinence, you may have cauda equina syndrome, which is a sign of spinal cord nerve damage. This is considered a medical emergency and you need to go to the hospital quickly.
5. The Pain Lasts Longer Than A Few Weeks
Back pain should never last for more than a few weeks, especially if you already saw a doctor to deal with the issue. Prolonged pain is a sure sign that things are more serious than you or your doctor first thought.
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What To Do About It
As long as you have the kind of back pain that’s causing the issues listed here or is accompanied by fever, you need to see your doctor. An assessment will get to the bottom of your pain as well as identify the best ways to manage it.
While dealing with back pain, it’s a good idea to adopt a few habits that ensure that it doesn’t get worse. A few of the measures you can take include maintaining a regular exercise routine that increases muscle strength and flexibility, practicing proper posture, learning how to lift loads correctly, avoiding strain on your back, and staying away from cigarettes.
Millions of Americans experience some form of back pain every year and you might be no different. Sometimes this pain can resolve on its own with some at-home care but there are a few cases where something more serious might be going on. That’s when you need to see your doctor as soon as possible.
