What is common back pain?
Back pain is very common among the general population. Approximately 80% of people will experience back pain at some point in their lives.
Muscle strains and sprains are common causes of back pain which occur as a result of improper lifting, poor posture, or even lack of exercise. This type of back pain can often be remedied with an ice pack and rest and goes away after 72 hours.
However, back pain can also result from a more serious injury, condition, or infection. Since back pain is very common, how do we decide if our back pain is not typical and serious?
08 signs that tell you not to ignore your back pain.
Severe back pain that extends beyond the back
Numbness, tingling, or the sudden weakness of lower limbs
Back pain after an accident
Associates with unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite
Comes with fever or night sweats
Worsens at night or rest
Comes with other joints pain
Lasts longer than 6 weeks
If back pain is severe and extends beyond the back
If you are experiencing pain that shoots down into your leg – especially to the bottom of your leg, this may be a sign of a damaged disc in your back.
If back pain occurs after an accident
If your back pain began after a fall or an injury, be sure to get a physiotherapist's evaluation. Check for any swelling or redness in the back.
If back pain comes with numbness, tingling, or the sudden weakness of lower limbs
If back pain is associated with these symptoms, it usually indicates an element of nerve compression. This should be properly evaluated and treated because chronic compression can lead to permanent damage and an irrecoverable situation.
If back pain comes with fever or night sweats
If back pain is with fever or night sweats this could indicate an infective or inflammatory condition. Infective causes are usually bacterial infection or tuberculosis, which can lead to a collapse of the spine and eventual paralysis or neurological damage, if untreated. Ankylosing spondylitis, Rheumatoid arthritis are some inflammatory conditions that can cause fever with back pain.
If back pain worsens at night or rest
Back pain that persists at night or rest usually implies pain that results from a destructive process in the spine. Typically, it may be due to cancer or tumor, or infection that is eroding the spinal structure.
If back pain comes with other joint pains
Usually, back pain occurs in isolation if it is due to a muscular cause. If back pain is accompanied by other joints, it may indicate a larger cause of these combined pains ongoing in the entire body. Typically, this is due to an auto-immune disease that affects multiple joints in the body.
If back pain lasts longer than 6 weeks
Back pain that persists for longer than 6 weeks typically requires further evaluation. This could be a sign of fractures, cancer, infection, or auto-immune disease. This should be evaluated by a physician or a surgeon.
What should you do if you have one or more of the above symptoms?
If you experience any of these symptoms, or if your back pain lasts more than 6 weeks, don't panic , it is time to take your back pain seriously and seek medical attention.
In general, back pain should not be ignored. If the underlying condition isn’t treated, it will likely worsen, in terms of joint degeneration or chronic muscle spasm. Tamlyn says, “if the pain is sensed for a long enough time, the body will adapt to a ‘new normal’ and potentially lessen the pain sensation. But that does not mean that pain is ‘gone’ or that ‘it’s better.’ The body has just adapted to a new, lower functioning level. And there will most likely be another area of the body that starts to sense pain.”
References:-
https://www.parkwayeast.com.sg/healthplus/article/take-back-pain-seriously
https://utswmed.org/medblog/5-signs-your-back-pain-might-be-emergency/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/back-pain/back-pain-treatment-doctor.aspx
Sachini Gunasekara
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