How do I know if my back pain is serious?

Contact your health care provider for back pain that: Lasts longer than a few weeks. Is severe and doesn't improve with rest. Spreads down one or both legs, especially if the pain goes below the knee.

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What is a red flag for back pain?

“Red flags” include pain that lasts more than 6 weeks; pain in persons younger than 18 years or older than 50 years; pain that radiates below the knee; a history of major trauma; constitutional symptoms; atypical pain (eg, that which occurs at night or that is unrelenting); the presence of a severe or rapidly ...

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When should I be concerned about back pain?

If the pain lasts four weeks or longer. If the pain keeps getting worse as time goes by. If you are experiencing other symptoms, such as fever, major weight loss or weight gain, loss of function or weakness in extremities, bladder problems, etc.

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How can you tell if back pain is muscular or something else?

A dull ache when you move

If your muscles are strained, they will feel like a sore or tight ache. A pulled muscle would not feel hot, tingling, or electric like an irritated nerve root would. The pain would only subside while you are relaxed and resting, as the tension and spasms are alleviated.

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What kind of pain in back is severe?

A common cause of back pain is an injury like a pulled muscle (strain). Sometimes, medical conditions like a slipped disc, sciatica (a trapped nerve) or ankylosing spondylitis can cause back pain. Very rarely, back pain can be a sign of a serious problem such as a broken bone, cancer or an infection.

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How do I know if my back pain is serious? - Dr. Philip York

37 related questions found

What are the 3 categories of back pain?

Types of Back Pain
  • Acute back pain happens suddenly and usually lasts a few days to a few weeks.
  • Subacute back pain can come on suddenly or over time and lasts 4 to 12 weeks.
  • Chronic back pain may come on quickly or slowly and lasts longer than 12 weeks.

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How long should severe back pain last?

Acute, or short-term back pain lasts a few days to a few weeks. Most low back pain is acute. It tends to resolve on its own within a few days with self-care and there is no residual loss of function. In some cases a few months are required for the symptoms to disappear.

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How do you tell if back pain is muscle or disc or nerve?

Your spinal disc is at the bottom of your back, so if you have pain in your lower back, you may assume it is a slipped disc. Furthermore, the feeling of pain will differ between the two. Muscle pain will feel like post-workout soreness, while disc pain will feel debilitating and tingly.

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How do you know if you've slipped a disc?

Check if it's a slipped disc

numbness or tingling in your shoulders, back, arms, hands, legs or feet. neck pain. problems bending or straightening your back. muscle weakness.

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What cancers cause lower back pain?

Blood and tissue cancers such as multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and melanoma can all cause lower back pain.

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What will happens if back pain is left untreated?

Prolonged nerve irritation, which occurs when back pain is left untreated for too long, can lead to permanent disabilities. Untreated vertebrae injuries can even lead to spinal stenosis (the narrowing of the spinal canal), radiculopathy (severe nerve pain), and nerve damage.

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When should you get an MRI for back pain?

An MRI is best used when your doctor suspects a specific problem—something other than the muscle strain that causes most low back pain. An MRI usually isn't done when simple muscle strain is suspected, because: An MRI will not show muscle strains or other problems with soft tissues.

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What organ would make my back hurt?

Pancreas. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, which is an organ that plays an important role in digestion and blood sugar regulation. The pain from pancreatitis may start in your upper abdomen and radiate to your lower back. The pain can be severe and disabling, so be sure to see a doctor right away.

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What are the 10 red flag symptoms?

Examples of red-flag symptoms in the older adult include but are not limited to pain following a fall or other trauma, fever, sudden unexplained weight loss, acute onset of severe pain, new-onset weakness or sensory loss, loss of bowel or bladder function, jaw claudication, new headaches, bone pain in a patient with a ...

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What are 3 signs and symptoms of a herniated disk?

Symptoms
  • Arm or leg pain. If your herniated disk is in your lower back, besides pain in your lower back, you'll typically feel pain in your buttocks, thigh and calf. ...
  • Numbness or tingling. People who have a herniated disk often have radiating numbness or tingling in the body part served by the affected nerves.
  • Weakness.

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Can an xray show a slipped disk?

Plain X-rays don't detect herniated disks, but they can rule out other causes of back pain, such as an infection, tumor, spinal alignment issues or a broken bone. CT scan.

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Is it better to sit or lay down with lower back pain?

If you're experiencing back pain when sitting, your impulse may be to lie down and then try to slowly progress back to sitting, says Dr. Atlas. But this is the wrong approach. You should lie down to relieve the pain, but the goal should be not to return to sitting, but rather to regain your ability to stand and move.

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What can back pain be confused with?

Don't assume pain in the lower back, cramping in the legs and that “pins and needles” feeling are the result of a problem with your spine. Symptoms of artery disease, arthritis and neuropathy often masquerade as spinal pain.

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What does a bulging disc in lower back feel like?

If you have a herniated lumbar disc, you may feel pain that radiates from your low back area, down one or both legs, and sometimes into your feet (called sciatica). You may feel a pain like an electric shock that is severe whether you stand, walk, or sit.

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How should I sit with lower back pain?

Sitting
  1. Sit as little as possible, and only for short periods of time (10 to 15 minutes).
  2. Sit with a back support (such as a rolled-up towel) at the curve of your back.
  3. Keep your hips and knees at a right angle. (Use a foot rest or stool if necessary.)

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What does inflammatory back pain feel like?

Pain in inflammatory back pain is more often localized to the lumbar spine and may be associated with buttock pain that alternates from one side to another; though, it is patient characteristics, chronicity, and pain progression that set IBP apart from other causes.

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Can back pain be life threatening?

Most back pain causes aren't serious or life threatening. Although in rare cases, back pain can signal a more severe medical problem.

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What is the most common reason for back pain?

A common cause of back pain is injury to a muscle or ligament. These strains and sprains can occur for many reasons, including improper lifting, poor posture and lack of regular exercise. Being overweight may increase the risk of back strains and sprains.

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How can I tell if my back pain is kidney related?

What are common kidney pain symptoms?
  1. A constant, dull ache in your back.
  2. Pain in your sides, under your rib cage or in your abdomen.
  3. Severe or sharp pain that comes in waves.
  4. Pain that spreads to your groin area.
  5. Kidney pain is often accompanied by nausea or vomiting, especially if the pain is due to kidney stones.

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What can cause back pain in a woman?

Read on to learn more about the common causes of back pain in women and the reasons why they occur.
  • Piriformis syndrome. Piriformis Syndrome Video. ...
  • Sacroiliac joint dysfunction. ...
  • Spinal osteoarthritis. ...
  • Degenerative spondylolisthesis. ...
  • Coccydynia (tailbone pain) ...
  • Endometriosis. ...
  • Spinal osteoporosis fractures.

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