When is Your Back Pain Cause for Concern?

Add back pain to that classic list of inevitable things, right along with death and taxes. Most adults cope with back pain at some point in their lives. But, for some, back pain becomes a more serious cause for concern, potentially indicating underlying issues that need treatment.

How can you know when your back pain is just discomfort, and when it might be something more? The orthopedic surgery and physical therapy experts at South Texas Spinal Clinic can advise you on back pain concerns.

Here’s what we want our new and existing patients from around the San Antonio and South Texas area to know about back pain, and when we think you should schedule an appointment to get your back pain checked out by our team.

Understanding your back pain

It can be hard to tell exactly where your back aches, but the localization of your pain may give you more information about your condition. Do you suffer from low back pain, or does it feel like the problem is higher up by your shoulders?

Your back carries the weight and pressure of your head and torso, and has to bend and torque with your motions. Muscle strains are a common cause of back pain. And, heavy lifting, bending and twisting, and acute injuries can all stress and harm your spine, leaving you in lasting pain.

In many back pain cases, what starts as an acute strain or injury leads to long-term discomfort and even degenerative changes. The discs that cushion your spine can break down or slip out of place. The many nerves clustered along the length of your spine, from your upper to your lower back, make this a prime area for pain problems.

When you should see a doctor for your back pain

If your sharp, stabbing, cramping, dull, or aching back pain starts to interfere with your ability to go about your day-to-day life, it’s time to make an appointment to get checked out by the team at South Texas Spinal Clinic.

Lasting back pain that doesn’t improve after several weeks may be a cause for concern. Watch out for other troubling symptoms accompanying your back pain, as well. If you see signs like fever or unexpected weight loss, make sure to see a specialist as soon as possible.

Back pain may be related to simple overuse and overactivity, or can be a sign of an underlying condition like a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or degenerative spondylolisthesis. Compression fractures due to osteoporosis can also cause back pain, especially as you get older. Women who are past menopause are at higher risk for pain due to osteoporosis.

Resolving back pain symptoms and treating underlying causes

You can turn to the experienced providers at South Texas Spinal Clinic for real and lasting back pain relief. Once we’ve identified the cause of your back pain, we can get started working with you on putting together your custom treatment plan.

Depending on your symptoms and condition, you could benefit from interventions for back pain including:

• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Pain management with heat, ice, and massage
• Medication management
• Epidural steroid injections and nerve blocks
• Surgical treatments like lumbar laminectomy and lumbar microendoscopic discectomy to repair spinal damage

If you’re concerned about your lingering or acute back pain, contact South Texas Spinal Clinic today. Together, we can get you back on your feet, moving forward pain-free. Schedule your initial consultation over the phone, or book online.