Back pain is one of the most common complaints that people have. It is estimated that 8 out of 10 people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. So how do you know if you have a regular backache, or if you have something more serious? In this blog, we'll discuss the signs that indicate that you might have a serious back problem.
The first thing to consider is the severity and duration of your pain. If you're experiencing mild discomfort, you likely have a simple backache that will go away on its own. However, if your pain is getting severe and the pain has been present for a week or or if it is accompanied by other symptoms like numbness or tingling, it could be a sign more you might have a more serious issue going on.
The second consideration is if your back pain extends to other body parts. Example: If your back pain starts to get the sharp shooting pain running down your leg. It is possible that your nerves in the back are getting irritated or compressed. If this goes on to manifest as a full blown weakness in your legs, such that you are losing your balance or you are unable to stand or walk then you need to go to the emergency room of the hospital.
Another issue that should send you straight down to the emergency department is if you experience a loss of bladder and bowel control. If you are getting incontinence plus weakness of the legs, this is an emergency and you need to go to the hospital asap.
A few other problems where your back pain may be serious is if you have had an accident or fall and had been fine but you start to experience pain after a few hours or days. You want to see a doctor to rule out any fractures or a more serious injury.
The same holds true if you get back pain that is worse at night so much that it wakes you up from your sleep. Usually infections, cancer, tumours tend to be worse at night and they tend to wake you up from your deep sleep. These pathologies can also lead to unexplained weight loss despite maintaining the same lifestyle, or an unexplained fever that just doesn't go down with medication.
If you suffer from back pain that limits your ability to do basic activities like walking, then it's time to see the doctor. Back pain should not be so debilitating that it stops you from being able to do things that you love or go about your daily life. If you don't have any serious underlying issues with your back pain but are looking for easy self management strategies to manage your back and spinal pain, feel free to join my free community.
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