How to tell if back pain is serious? Symptoms and Treatment

Most people ignore back pain thinking it will go away but how to tell if back pain is serious? You should know that back pain is not like any other body pain. After all, it may involve your spine. Moreover, it can be a sign of back injury. In such cases, the pain won’t improve with self-care or rest. Instead, you have to seek professional treatment or therapy. But how do you know you need treatment and not rest. Here, in this blog, we’ll discuss how to tell if back pain is serious? What are the causes? And a lot more. So, keep reading…

Note: This is for informational purposes only. For accurate diagnosis and treatment, it is better you consult a healthcare professional.

How to Tell If Back Pain is Serious?

You shouldn’t – can’t – take your back pain lightly. After all, it impacts the quality of your life and range of motion. Moreover, if it persists, carrying out routine tasks can be very difficult. Well, its true that in most cases pain goes away with some rest. But sometimes, it stays for weeks. And if it does, it may be signaling toward something serious. So, if you are wondering how to tell if back pain is serious? You should know persistent pain is a serious one. 

“Almost 75-85% of the total Americans experience some form of back pain during their lifetime.” – American Association of Neurological Surgeons

And do you know that healthcare professionals suggest that there are three kinds of back pains. Each of these three differ in terms of the duration of the pain.

Also, you should know that persistent pain is not the only sign of a serious issue. So, how to tell if back pain is serious? Here is a more comprehensive answer to it:

• Persistent pain for weeks
• Pain that radiates down the legs
• Numbness or tingling in the legs
• Difficulty controlling bladder or bowel movements
• Back pain accompanied by fever

The above mentioned are some of the common symptoms that indicate your back pain needs professional attention or maybe a proper treatment. We have a brief idea now on how to tell if back pain is serious? But do you know how serious or mild these symptoms can be? Let’s find out:

• Persistent or Worsened Pain

A worsened or persistent is a sign that you may need professional care for your back pain. Moreover, a pain persists or worsens because of many reasons. This may include lack of proper self-care or rest. This is not the only reason why back pain worsens. In fact, having a sedentary lifestyle can also impact – worsen – your back pain. Apart from this, spinal issues are also a cause of back pain. Furthermore, this type of pain can interfere with daily activities, sleep, and overall quality of life. And this is a major sign that you should seek professional assistance.

• Pain & Numbness Radiating Down to the Leg

This is another sign that you should watch out for on your “how to tell if back pain is serious?” is that the pain is traveling down to your legs. And not just the pain, your legs may start to feel numb too. This is something you should not ignore. Moreover, such pain usually begins in the lower back and travels through the buttocks, down the legs, and sometimes into the feet. This type of pain can be due to compression and irritation of the sciatic nerve. And you should not take these symptoms lightly. After all, they can be a sign of a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or degenerative disc disease.

• Bladder or Bowel Movements

Poor bladder or bowel movements are another symptom that you should go see a doctor for your back pain. But you may be wondering how does it exactly impacts bladder or bowel? Well, you should know that the lower spine contains nerves that connect to the digestive system. Plus, this area also contains nerves that control the bowel. When these nerves are compressed, damaged, or pinched, this can lead to a loss of control. Moreover, several spinal issues can lead to problems in control the bladder or bowel movement. So, you should definitely get professional care if your pain is accompanied by these symptoms.

• Back Pain Accompanied by Fever

Prolonged back pain can affect your immune system and weaken it. This is what results in fever. Moreover, back pain leads to discomfort, and increased stress levels. This as a result raises body temperatures. Moreover, back pain and fever when occurring together can make your body vulnerable to infections in the brain, spinal cord, arms, lower back, and more. So, if a fever – mild or severe accompanies your back, it means you need professional treatment.

How to Get Rid of Back Pain?

Well, normal back pain can be treated with some self-care measures and a balanced lifestyle. However, if the back pain is a subacute or chronic one, you should don’t waste time and see a professional for it. Moreover, a well balanced treatment plan consists the following:

• Initial Diagnosis
• Physical Therapy
• Spinal Manipulation
• Surgical Intervention

You should also know that every patient is different and so is their symptoms. And a well-rounded plan is always based on the symptoms a patient is facing.

Ending Thoughts – How to Tell if Back Pain is Serious?

By now we know that back pain is not always serious. However, you should not ignore it. After all, it may be indicating toward an underlying issue waiting to become a big problem. Furthermore, if your pain persists for weeks or worsens, or you face mobility issues, see a doctor immediately. Apart from this, you should not ignore the pain at all if its going down to your legs and feet.