Most everyone experiences some level of discomfort in their back at some point in their lives, but how do you know when it’s okay to ignore it or if it could be more serious. We’ve done the research for you and narrowed it down to the five major signs that your back problems are more serious than you originally thought and you shouldn’t ignore them. It’s important, however, that you consult with your doctor regarding the similarities of the symptoms described to your symptoms before you seek out any sort of treatment. An accurate diagnosis and professional opinion are incredibly important when it comes to serious back conditions and treating them.
1) You experience your back pain predominately at night
It’s fairly common to experience back pain or discomfort when getting into a comfortable position for bed. That being said, if adjusting never seems to alleviate your pain or you only experience back pain lying down it could be a sign of a spinal bone infection or spinal tumor. You should see a doctor if the aforementioned symptoms describe your pain or if you can’t find relief, as it could be a sign of a more serious problem.
2) You can’t seem to maintain control of your bladder and/or bowels while experiencing back pain
There is a rare condition in which the nerve roots in your spine compress, ceasing movement and feeling. It’s known as cauda equina syndrome and only one in thirty-three thousand people are affected by it. This condition requires treatment via surgery; neglecting treatment can result in paralysis, complete loss of bladder and/or bowel control, and sexual dysfunction. This condition is very rare, but if you’re concerned, you should consult your doctor.
3) You find yourself extra stiff in the morning coupled with your back pain
It’s normal to experience a little morning stiffness, however, if you find that your stiffness doesn’t go away or persists or worsens when you’re not moving, you should consult your doctor. You could be struggling with a type of inflammatory arthritis called ankylosing spondylitis. This condition affects 1.4% of the population and could have serious health repercussions if ignored.
4) The location of the pain is difficult to identify
If you can’t even remotely tell the muscle or joint causing the pain, it could be a sign of something far worse and unrelated to your back. If you have just recently experienced this pain and, even more telling, it started in your chest before moving to your back, it could be an early warning sign of a heart attack. You should consult your doctor or make your way to the emergency room immediately.
5) You are at high risk for fractures
There are a lot of things that could put you at a higher risk for fractures. If you’ve recently been in an accident that weakened your bones, take medications that are known to weaken bones (such as a birth control IUD or a steroid), or have osteopenia or osteoporosis and you experience severe back pain, you should consult a doctor for such health issues. You could have fractured your spine, which, if gone untreated, can lead to a permanent stooped posture, breathing problems, height loss, and digestive problems.
Treatment options for various back conditions
Back pain and back conditions are hard to identify and treat. It’s important that, despite how related your symptoms are to anything we mentioned at any point in the piece, you consult with your doctor for an official diagnosis before seeking any form of treatment. That being said, you still want to be well prepared and informed so you understand fully what your doctor is recommending.
The most common back conditions are herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and facet joint syndrome. The treatments for these conditions have come a long way over the years; now, there’s even a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure provided by Joimax. You should leave it to your doctor to recommend your treatments. All treatment options offered by joimax are completely safe and easily researched on their website, www.joimax.com. They also offer a fair bit of information on the conditions they treat and how they go about treating them, so you can be fully prepared for your discussion with your doctor.
For other, more serious back conditions, surgery or long-term physical therapy may be required. There are some back conditions that are only treatable by a routine of pain medications. Back conditions very commonly go undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or untreated. If you’re concerned about the severity of your back pain, you should consult a doctor rather than waiting and risking a mild issue becoming something much more serious. As described above, it can be terribly detrimental to approach a potentially serious back problem with a wait and see attitude.
