Back Pain You Should Never, Ever Ignore

Experts share the red flags that mean an achy back might be a bigger deal

Back pain typically isn’t something to stress about ― but there are a few specific circumstances in which you might want to, well, watch your back. 

Lower back pain is extremely common, affecting approximately 1 in 8 people, according to Neel Anand, a professor of orthopedic surgery and director of spine trauma at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center in Los Angeles. The good news is that 80-90 percent of lower back pain is innocuous and comes and goes, according to Anand.

“It can bring you down for a few days or a week, but generally, low back pain gets better quickly and you can get on with your life,” he said.

When it comes to treating mild back pain, an anti-inflammatory such as Advil or aspirin, moderated rest (limiting activities that cause strain on your back — but not complete bed rest) and regularly icing the affected area can help.

But when back pain is more than just a nuisance, getting it checked by a doctor can make all the difference in preventing a more serious health issue. Here, experts share the back pains you shouldn’t wait out or completely ignore:

1. Back Pain With Loss Of Bladder Control

If you have back pain paired with the inability to regulate your bladder or bowel movements, that’s a sign you need to head to the ER.


“This means there’s something in the spinal canal, such as a disc herniation or lesion, compressing your nerves to the extent that it’s affected the nerves of the bladder and bowel, creating temporary paralysis,” Anand said. “If this nerve is compressed for too long, it can be difficult for it to recover and function normally again.” 

2. Back Pain With Fevers

If you find your back pain flares up along with a fever, it may be a sign of something more serious like an infection, said David Anderson, a spine surgeon at OrthoCarolina in Monroe, North Carolina. 


“This is exceedingly rare, and of course people can have fevers for all kinds of reasons, but when it comes with continuous back pain, it can cause worry for an epidural abscess [a collection of pus that can affect the brain or spinal cord],” he said.

3. Back Pain With Accompanying Leg Pain

Radiating pain that can start anywhere from the butt down through the leg, along with numbness, tingling or leg weakness ― such as dragging your foot when you walk or having difficulty lifting it ― is another sign that a nerve or collection of nerves is being pinched, Anand said. This can be caused by a bone spur (small projections that develop along bone edges), disc herniation (a problem with a rubber-like disk between the spinal bones) or stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal that happens slowly).

And while stenosis can’t be completely cured, Anderson added that many people with this chronic condition can easily learn what their triggers are and how to manage their symptoms so they become tolerable in day-to-day life.

4. Upper Back Pain Near The Neck

A lot of people get pain in their upper back below the neck and think it’s back pain, but it’s not,” Anand said. “That pain is coming from your neck, and the reason it’s different is because that’s your spinal cord. You actually have spinal cord running through your neck, which is a direct extension of your brain.”

If you have upper back pain that’s associated with tingling or weakness in the hands, or you notice you’re walking unsteadily and have changes in your gait, it could be a sign something is going on in your spinal cord that needs to be checked by a physician.

“People may assume that things like difficulty with buttons on their shirts or putting in earrings is common with old age and possibly due to arthritis, but if this is happening continuously, you need to see a doctor and get a neurologic exam,” Anand said. “If caught early, damage can be prevented but if the spinal cord is affected, it often does not get better.”

Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/back-pains-never-ignore_l_5c87fa72e4b038892f47fee6


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dr Amit Rauthan: Best Bone Marrow Transplant Surgeon in India

Image
The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program with Dr. Amit Rauthan is a proficient medical oncologist with an experience of 21 years. He is located in Bangalore   has successfully transplanted bone marrow from a mother who is only a half match donor to her young daughter utilizing a technique that requires specialized doses of chemotherapy prior to and after the transplant. Dr. Rauthan is one of the few oncologists to offer the technique. Dr. Amit Rauthan is an experienced, skilled and awarded doctor in his field of specialization , says the partial match and combined chemotherapy technique provides hope to children in need of a bone marrow transplant that would otherwise not have a donor. The patient population we serve in India is comprised of a mix of ethnic backgrounds with a variable genetic combination which makes it impossible to find a perfect match donor in the public donor registry.  We are hopeful that this emerging technique that is now available in India, will gi
Read more

How to Prepare for Recovery after Knee Replacement Surgery?

Image
Overview India can proudly boast about being home to the most modern form of treatment and surgical procedures. The facilities at these hospitals are totally at par with the global standards. The services are particularly remarkable at the Orthopaedic hospitals and clinics of India, which offer all kinds of Orthopaedic Surgeries, Knee Replacement being one of them. There are many Knee Surgery Hospitals in India, where all the surgical approaches are implemented. Knee Replacement Surgery in India is in fact one of the most frequently performed surgeries, and the success rate too is very good. A Knee Replacement Surgery comes with unlimited and long lasting benefits for the patients. But like every other surgical procedure, the recovery period in this surgery plays a very important role. Since a well-functioning joint is very crucial for good mobility, you need to be very careful during the recovery period after a Knee Replacement Surgery. There are some guidelines that can he
Read more

Coarctation Of The Aorta - Diagnosis and Treatment Available In India

Image
Overview: Coarctation of the aorta — or aortic coarctation — is a narrowing of the aorta; the huge vein, those branches of your heart and deliver oxygen-rich blood to your body. When this happens, your heart must pump harder to power blood through the limited piece of your aorta. Coarctation of the aorta is commonly present during childbirth. The condition can go from gentle to serious, and probably won't be identified until adulthood, depending upon how much the aorta is narrowed. Coarctation of the aorta frequently happens alongside other heart defects. While treatment is typically successful, the condition requires cautious lifelong development. The cost of  congenital coarctation of aorta treatment India  is about half as that of creating nations which have allowed India a chance to serve patients nearly from every corner of the world. What are the symptoms of aortic coarctation? Coarctation of the aorta indications relies upon the severity of the condition. A g
Read more