trouble maintaining your balance, trouble walking, and trouble controlling your bladder or bowel movements.
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.