Did you know that approximately 23% of adults worldwide suffer from low back pain? Back pain can often be due to muscle tension, muscle strains, or problems with your posture.
However, other times back pains can be due to something serious like disc problems or infections.
If you have back pain, it may be tempting just to ignore it and hope it goes away on its own. But it’s important to realize that leaving your back to ache can lead to more severe complications.
Keep reading this guide to learn why you shouldn’t ignore your back pain!
You Might Have a Herniated Disc
A herniated disc is one of the most common causes of low back and spine pain.
Your spine consists of bones known as vertebrae. Between each vertebra, there are soft discs that serve as cushions. Vertebrae also keep the bones of your spine in the correct place.
Over time, these discs can weaken or rupture completely. When this occurs, the disc’s jelly substance pushes outward, referred to as a herniated disc.
Usually, herniated discs occur in the lumbar spine (lower back). They can also happen in your cervical spine (neck).
Herniated discs are usually due to repetitive movements that involve bending or twisting. They’re also caused by inactivity and being overweight.
Herniated Disc Symptoms
Herniated disc symptoms can cause mild to severe pain depending on the rupture’s severity.
Many people experience symptoms such as:
- Pain near the shoulder blades
- Pain with neck movement
- Shooting pains in the arms and hands
- Numbness or weakness in the elbow and forearm
- Numbness or weakness in the leg or buttocks
- Low back pain
Herniated Disc Treatment
It’s important not to ignore these symptoms as herniated discs can worsen and lead to severe pain or loss of bowel and bladder function.
You’ll need to see your doctor for an evaluation. You’ll need rest, pain medication, and physical therapy. You’ll also need to make lifestyle changes, like improving your diet and exercising daily.
Your doctor might recommend that you see a chiropractor. Seeing a chiropractor will help decrease the tension on your nerves and realign your spine.
You can find a good chiropractor by reading online reviews and asking friends and family for recommendations. You can also consider a Gonstead chiropractor. Gonstead chiropractors avoid twisting your spine during treatments and use specific protocols to focus on certain areas of your spine.
You Could Have Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is a condition that causes the space around your spine to narrow.
Spinal stenosis typically develops slowly over time and is usually associated with arthritis, bone spurs, or herniated discs. Spinal stenosis occurs in either the lower back or neck area.
Since spinal stenosis occurs over time, you may not experience any symptoms for many years. However, this condition will continue to progress and eventually cause significant symptoms.
Spinal Stenosis Symptoms
Symptoms of spinal stenosis vary for each person and can often come and go in the earlier stages. When symptoms do occur, you’ll experience problems, such as:
- Lower back pain
- Sciatica
- Leg heaviness
- Numbness and tingling in your legs
- Pain that worsens with standing and walking
- Neck pain
Spinal Stenosis Treatment
Although spinal stenosis doesn’t usually cause paralysis, it can cause permanent numbness and tingling if left untreated.
While spinal stenosis treatments won’t fix your back, they will help decrease inflammation and severe symptoms.
Most people need a combination of anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, steroid injections, and surgery in severe cases.
Your Back Pain Could Be Kidney Pain
Sometimes back pain doesn’t have anything to do with a problem in your back.
You can get kidney pain from problems like kidney stones, kidney infections, polycystic kidney disease, or an injury to your kidney. Less commonly, you can have kidney pain from kidney cancer or noncancerous growths.
Symptoms of Kidney Pain
It’s easy to confuse kidney pain for back pain, so it’s essential to understand the differences.
Typically you’ll feel kidney pain in your upper back area, while back problems usually occur in your lower back.
You’ll feel kidney pain more intensely as opposed to back pain. Kidney pain is also on one or both sides of your body underneath your ribcage.
Kidney pain is typically constant and sharp in nature, and you won’t feel relief in changing positions as you do with back pain.
Back pain from kidney issues also comes with other symptoms like:
- Body aches
- Bloody or cloudy urine
- Fever
- Fatigue
Treatments
If you have a urinary tract infection or a kidney infection, you’ll need to take a course of antibiotics.
Kidney stones and kidney injuries from trauma or conditions like low blood pressure usually need to be treated with surgery, medications, and temporary dialysis.
Additionally, tumors will need further investigation and treatment depending on the underlying cause.
Remember, having other symptoms along with your back pain is a red flag, so paying attention to your body is important.
You Could Have a Compression Fracture
A compression fracture is a break or fracture in your vertebrae. It also causes your vertebrae to collapse and lose height. When they collapse, fragments of bone can press on the nerves and spinal cord.
Conditions like osteoporosis can cause compression fractures. They can also occur from sports injuries, car accidents, and spinal tumors.
Compression Fracture Symptoms
Compression fractures don’t always cause symptoms when they first occur. They’re often caught by accident on X-rays and scans you might have for other medical reasons.
When symptoms do occur, you’ll experience:
- A decrease in height
- Poor posture that eventually causes you to stoop forward
- Numbness or tingling
- Problems with bowel and bladder control
You’ll usually feel sudden and severe back pain if the fracture occurs suddenly.
Compression Fracture Treatment
If you have back issues after an accident, you should see your doctor immediately, even if your symptoms seem mild.
Also, if you’re an older adult or post-menopausal, you’ll need to rule out any bone problems.
Compression fractures are treated with pain medication, back braces, bed rest, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery.
See a Doctor About Your Back Pains
Now that you know why you shouldn’t ignore back pains, your next step should be to make an appointment with your doctor.
You’ll be able to identify any severe conditions early on and get the treatment you need before any permanent damage occurs.
Check out the rest of our blog today to learn more health tips!