Back pain comes in many different forms. It ranges from a dull ache that lasts only a few days to severe pain that lasts for weeks and leaves you unable to perform routine tasks. Pain that does not go away or when it is accompanied by additional symptoms indicates something serious that needs a physician. Dr. Leon Reyfman is a board-certified sports injury doctor and highly rated pain management specialist in NYC. He specializes in treating back pain issues and provides the most advanced pain treatment care to help you get lasting relief. Do not let back pain affect your life and work – visit the Pain Management NYC for the best treatment and highest quality care.
Back pain is a common problem most of us experience at some point in our lives. While for most of us it is usually not a concerning matter and can be treated with over-the-counter pain medication or home remedies, for others, it can signify a more serious condition requiring medical attention.
Pain is your body’s alarm system alerting you that something is wrong. Sometimes, even non-life-threatening back pain, like muscle strain, can be extremely painful. Back pain can be progressive, meaning it can worsen with time. Home remedies can help, but there are back pains you should not ignore. Identifying when your pain is intense enough to seek professional medical guidance and seeing your doctor can make a crucial difference in your overall well-being.
Read on to learn more about back pain warning signs and when you need to see a physician.
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8 Signs You Need to Call Your Doctor for Back Pain
If you experience the following 8 signs, seek medical help immediately.
It Is More Than a Week Since You Are Having Pain
Most back pain usually subsides after a few days. It is essential to distinguish between the occasional twinge that often results from temporary strain, and can be managed with rest, and lingering pain that continues for weeks. If you have been in pain for over a week, it is time to seek professional advice. Persistent discomfort that does not go away is reason enough to see a doctor or a specialist.
Depending on the type of pain you are having, your healthcare professional will perform examinations or tests to get to the bottom of your pain and determine its source before it turns into a bigger problem.
Your Pain Is Radiating to Other Body Parts
If you are experiencing severe back pain that radiates to other parts of the body, such as shooting pain down your legs, call a doctor. It may be a sign of a pinched nerve, a damaged disc in your spine, or sciatica, a form of pain that affects the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back and through the buttocks before branching down each leg.
Excruciating back pain that extends to other body parts and upsets your daily activities or sleep indicates underlying issues. It requires timely intervention to prevent further complications and alleviate your suffering.
You Are Experiencing Sensations of Numbness, Tingling or Weakness
Back pain accompanied by a sensation of numbness, tingling, or weakness, especially in the legs and back, may be a sign of nerve irritation or damage. It usually indicates a herniated disc or other dangerous conditions that can cause permanent nerve damage if they are left untreated.
If you continue to experience sensory symptoms like numbness and tingling or your pain persists even after taking over-the-counter pain relievers, you should call a doctor. Unusual weakness is not normal and should be evaluated by a medical professional.
You Develop Back Pain After an Accident
Car accidents, falls, and other types of trauma can cause an injury that can result in back pain. If you have been in an accident, see a doctor immediately. Pain may occur for various reasons like an injury, degenerative changes, nerve compression, or a more serious problem like a fracture that needs timely treatment.
Redness and swelling in the back are the first signs of a problem after an accident. Most people over the age of 55 are at high risk for back damage from falls. Your doctor will assess you for a spinal fracture and make sure there is no permanent damage.
Your Back Pain Is Worse at Certain Times or in Certain Postures
Intense back pain in the middle of the night or when you are in certain positions, such as lying down or sitting, is a cause of concern. Pain that worsens at night is often caused by a sprain or disc degeneration.
Severe pain while shifting your position, moving around, or bending to pick up something is a sign of a deeper problem, such as an infection, fracture, severe nerve compression, or even cancer that needs medical attention.
You Are Having Problems Controlling Your Bowels or Bladder
If you are having problems controlling your bowels or urination, it is not a good sign. These symptoms point to cauda equina syndrome, where the nerve roots in the lower spine are compressed and become paralyzed as a result. While it is rare, this syndrome can damage the vulnerable nerves that control the function of the bladder and bowel permanently if left untreated.
Back pain combined with loss of control over the bowels and bladder is a warning that it is not just your back that is the problem. You must call your doctor immediately if you experience any such symptoms.
You Go through Unexplained Weight Loss
Losing large amounts of weight when you are not trying to is a cause for concern. If you experience sudden weight loss that cannot be explained by diet and lifestyle changes, call a doctor to find out what is happening. You need to pay attention to what your body is telling you, especially when this weight loss is accompanied by back pain.
The doctor may be able to figure out what is causing the weight loss and how it is connected to pain in the back.
You Are Running a Fever
Back pain with fever indicates an infection like a spine abscess. Fever is your body’s natural way of fighting viruses and bacteria, but it does not always succeed. If fever with back pain does not respond to over-the-counter medications, it means you have an infection that needs immediate treatment, and you must call a doctor.
If any of the following applies to your back pain, it is time to make an appointment with a doctor. The right pain management specialist will find the causes behind your pain and recommend the best treatment to help you feel better as soon as possible.
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When to Seek Emergency Care?
Severe back pain isn’t just uncomfortable. It can be agonizing and disrupts your life significantly. Also, certain situations warrant immediate medical attention, especially if you have a history of cancer or experience radiating chest or abdominal pain. Delaying medical assistance can have lasting consequences in these situations.
Are you ready to address your back pain – Call Pain Management NYC today and schedule an appointment with Dr. Leon Reyfman, our top-rated New York pain management doctor, and put an end to the annoying back pain for good. Dr. Reyfman works with you to identify the root source of your pain and comes up with safe and effective personalized, non-invasive treatment plans to ensure you are back to enjoying life within no time.
Get rid of back pain now – call the best pain relief doctor near you!
Leon Reyfman, MD, is a top-rated, best-in-class interventional pain management doctor. He is a nationally recognized pain relief specialist and is among the top pain care doctors in New York City and the country. He is an award-winning expert and contributor to prominent media outlets.
Dr. Leon Reyfman has been recognized for his thoughtful, thorough, modern approach to treating chronic pain. He has been named a “top pain management doctor in New York” and one of “America’s Top Doctors™” for advanced sports injury treatments. Among other accolades, he was voted by peers as a “Castle Connolly Top Doctors™” and “New York Super Doctors™”. Dr. Leon Reyfman was a part of the medical team at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.