5 Signs Your Back Pain Might Be an Emergency

Back pain is so common that many people ignore symptoms that might indicate a medical emergency. Identifying the severity of the symptoms and tracking how long the pain lasts can help prevent serious complications. If you are worried about back pain, visit Pain Physicians NY Clinic for an accurate diagnosis of your condition and the best treatment plan with experts. Dr. Leon Reyfman and Dr. Boleslav Kosharskyy specialize in back pain management and focus on figuring out the causes behind your alarming symptoms to ensure your well-being. They come up with a long-term plan for dealing with episodes of acute as well as chronic back pain to prevent further episodes.

Most of us experience back pain in our lives. Real back pain injuries usually come on slowly. They can take weeks to set in and start with minimal, vague, or even absent symptoms. For most people, especially people in their 20s and 30s, back pain is often attributed to factors related to daily life, such as sitting for longer periods, picking up children, or overdoing it while exercising. Work injuries and beginnings of arthritis and degenerative conditions usually occur in people in their 40s or older, but they can be managed with care and medications.

Back pain emergencies are rare, but they can happen to anyone. However, back pain is an unreliable indicator for determining the severity of the problem you are going through. It is often tough to establish if it is your back or some underlying medical condition that is causing agonizing symptoms. Knowing when to rush to the emergency room is essential as it can save you from various health problems, long and invasive treatments and help you make a smooth, speedy recovery.

Red Flags for Back Pain

Read on to learn the types of back pain emergencies and some obvious signs that indicate it might be an emergency and needs urgent medical care.

5 Sensations That Are a Red Flag for Back Pain

Here is a list of warning signs and symptoms related to conditions that may cause intense back pain and are typically considered a medical crisis.

Sharp Pain

Sharp pain in the back can indicate a torn muscle or ligament or a problem with an internal organ in the back or side, most likely your kidney. This pain is not a dull ache that occurs slowly, but a sharp, severe pain that may become unbearable.

Radiating Pain

This pain moves or shoots to the glutes or legs and may indicate a nerve compression.

Sudden Weakness in the Legs

Severe pain in the back, accompanied by weakness in the legs or hamstring muscles, may be due to conditions like sciatica and spinal stenosis. Remember, sudden leg weakness can also be a sign of stroke, so don’t take this condition lightly.

Severe Pain Accompanied by Bladder or Bowel Incontinence

Intense back pain occurring with loss of control over your bladder or bowels indicates nerve damage or a spine infection such as discitis or meningitis.

Damage to the cauda equina nerves can lead to cauda equina syndrome. The cauda equina nerves serve the bladder and bowel, and any damage to them can cause severe impairment in the lower back and legs, resulting in bladder or bowel incontinence. It could also be a sign of multiple sclerosis.

Numbness, Tingling, or Lack of Sensation in the Groin or Glutes

The lower hips or groin, buttocks, and inner thighs area is known as the saddle region. Numbness, tingling, or a lack of sensation in the groin or glutes, also called saddle anesthesia, is a sign of a nerve or spine condition that needs immediate medical attention.

Read more: 8 Tips to Help Ease Your Back Pain

Other Conditions That Cause Back Pain in Older Adults

Some other conditions, that may be less concerning, can still cause painful spine conditions in adults. Physical therapy, medication, injections, or a combination of treatments and home care helps to control symptoms and relieve pain.

Degenerative disc disease – Due to aging or wear and tear conditions, the discs between the vertebrae of the spine break down, which causes lower back pain and stiffness. It is also associated with other degenerative changes in the spine, such as arthritis or spinal stenosis.
Sacroiliitis – It is an inflammation of the sacroiliac joint, the joint that connects your spine and pelvis. It can cause pain in the lower back, glutes, and upper legs.
Ankylosing spondylitis – It is a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the joints and ligaments of the spine, resulting in continual hunched forward position and spine pain. It may also affect joints like knees, ankles, and hips, which can affect flexibility and movement.

Spine-curving conditions like adult degenerative scoliosis and kyphosis can also result in back pain and weakness in the lower extremities.

Read more: 9 Stretches to Relieve Neck Pain

Risk Factors for Back Pain

Age – If you are over the age of 40, you may be at a higher risk of experiencing back pain.
Lack of exercise – A sedentary lifestyle can lead to muscle weakness in the back and abdomen, which eventually causes back pain.
Obesity – Being overweight puts extra stress on the back that can lead to pain and discomfort.
Medical conditions – Arthritis and cancer can be indirect causes of back pain.
Bad lifting techniques – Most people use their backs for lifting heavy objects, instead of their legs, which triggers back pain.
Mental stress – People who suffer from depression, anxiety, and dementia are more likely to develop back pain.
Smoking – A smoker’s cough can lead to a herniated disc, which leads to back pain. In addition, smoking reduces blood flow to the spine, and it increases the risk of osteoporosis and pain in the back.

Non-spine Conditions That Can Cause Back Pain

Some rare, non-spine conditions can also cause back pain. They may result from an underlying condition that leads to lower back discomfort and you may assume is spine pain.

Kidney and digestive issues, including pancreatitis and gallstones, can cause back pain. In women, uterine fibroids and endometriosis are known for causing core pain that often radiates into the back. In rare cases, severe back pain can also result from a ruptured aneurysm, weakening and tearing of part of a blood vessel. This is a medical emergency as it causes internal bleeding that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Aortic dissection, the tearing of an inner layer of tissue in the aorta, the main vessel carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body, can also cause back pain. This condition is critical and can be fatal if it is not treated immediately.

Researchers have found that the spine is also prone to receiving cancer cells that spread from other parts of the body. Batson’s plexus, a network of veins that connect the venous system and spine, for reasons unknown, can spread cancer cells to the spine, which causes back pain and other symptoms.

If your back pain is associated with specific activity such as lifting or twisting and the pain goes away within 72 hours after resting and home care, it is not a concerning issue. However, if your pain has developed slowly, appeared suddenly, or does not go away, it may be something more serious that needs medical care.

Read more: How Can I Relieve Pain in My Neck?

Significance of Timely Medical Treatment and Care

Timely medical treatment and care are essential for easing your pain and accurate diagnosis of your condition which is causing this pain. Your doctor will perform a physical examination, take your personal and medical history, and work closely with you to rule out underlying causes and manage your symptoms in the best possible way.

The earlier you seek professional guidance, the better it can be treated. Even if the cause of your pain turns out to be benign or non-serious, knowing the source can give you peace of mind and help you initiate the recovery process, free of fear.

If you have symptoms of a back pain emergency, don’t delay seeing a pain specialist or visiting a hospital emergency room. Recognizing signs that require urgent care is crucial in preventing worsening injuries. Call Pain Physicians NY Clinic for back pain advice you can trust. Dr. Leon Reyfman and Dr. Boleslav Kosharskyy are highly-rated pain management specialists in NYC. They use the safest and most advanced diagnostic techniques to determine the causes of your back pain. They understand how debilitating back pain is, especially when it is accompanied by other warning signs, and focus on providing immediate relief.