Signs You Need to Get Help for Your Back Pain

Occasional back discomfort can often be managed with home remedies and rest. However, there are signs that indicate it’s time to seek professional help. Ignoring these symptoms could lead to chronic issues or more serious underlying conditions.

Our team at Integrity Spine & Orthopedics provides comprehensive orthopedic care for our Jacksonville, Florida, communities. This includes the highest-quality treatment for herniated discs, pinched nerves, spinal stenosis, sciatica, and other painful back conditions.

Here’s our guide to understanding when your back pain needs more than just an over-the-counter remedy.

Back pain basics

It’s hard to name a daily task that doesn’t involve your back. Everything from prepping breakfast in the morning to snoozing on the couch after a long day activates various spinal components.

Although strong, your back is vulnerable to injuries or conditions involving muscles, tendons, bones, discs, joints, or nerves. Effective treatment starts with diagnosing the underlying problem.

Heat, over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, and a gradual return to routine activity may be all you need to overcome a pulled muscle. However, a degenerative disc or pinched nerve is a more complex issue that requires a doctor’s care.

Signs you need help for your back pain

While we encourage you to schedule a visit whenever you’re concerned about your spine health, our team at Integrity Spine & Orthopedics recommends medical care when:

1. Pain persists

Sudden back pain, often related to a muscle pull or other acute injury, typically improves within a few days to weeks.

If your pain lasts longer, it could indicate a chronic issue, such as a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or other spinal problems that need medical care and observation.

In this case, our team recommends scheduling a visit for a thorough evaluation to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment. Our team also encourages you to come in for an assessment if your back pain improves or resolves and then returns after you’ve resumed routine activities.

2. You have severe pain

Severe, sharp, or shooting pain can be a red flag that may indicate nerve damage, a compression fracture, or other issue that requires medical evaluation.

Our Integrity Spine & Orthopedics team also encourages you to monitor for accompanying symptoms that may indicate something more than a tight or painful muscle.

For instance, back pain that radiates into your legs or arms or is accompanied by numbness, tingling, or weakness could be a sign of nerve compression or sciatica.

In rare cases, back pain accompanied by loss of control over your bladder or bowels could indicate a condition called cauda equina syndrome, which requires urgent medical attention.

Honestly, though, even a muscle pull can be painful enough for medical attention, so don’t hesitate to call.

3. You have pain after an injury

If your back pain started after a fall, accident, or injury, it could indicate a fracture, sprain, or other structural damage. We recommend a specialty evaluation to rule out serious injuries, especially if you’re experiencing other symptoms like swelling or bruising.

4. Pain prevents you from resting

When pain prevents you from getting a full night’s sleep, your recovery can last longer than expected. Your specialist can develop a personalized strategy that may include physical therapy, medication, heat/cold therapy, epidural injections, or other treatments to reduce inflammation and pain.

5. You have difficulty standing, walking, or performing routine activities

In most cases, you don’t have to put your life on hold for months while your back heals. Our goal at Integrity Spine & Orthopedics is to reduce pain and restore mobility by diagnosing and treating the underlying cause of your back discomfort.

Schedule a visit at Integrity Spine & Orthopedics for top-level orthopedic care focused on your needs. Call the office or request an appointment online.