The assertion that “pain is your body’s way of letting you know that something is wrong” is more than a cliché doctors are taught to spout to their patients in medical school. Ideally, you should pay attention to any lingering aches and pains – an especially sage piece of advice when it comes to your spine. As a Beverly Hills spine surgery center, we wanted to share some of the most common spine symptoms that should never be ignored, ensuring that individuals get the help they need to enjoy safety, comfort and quality of life.
Lower Back Pain
The following types of pain occur in the lower lumbar spine and may require additional treatment from a spine specialist or surgeon:
- Acute back pain – Intense pain that lasts for a short period of time
- Chronic back pain – Pain of varying intensities that consistently returns
- Coccydynia – Pain relegated to the tailbone
- Sciatica-related back pain – Pain originating in the back that radiates down the leg
Spinal Cord Compression
Symptoms of degenerative spinal conditions tend to slowly intensify over time. Pain can also be sudden if related to an incident such as a sudden impact or hard hit to the spine. Tumors or infections can also produce symptoms that slowly develop over several weeks. Possible spinal cord compression symptoms not to ignore include:
- Pain and stiffness
- Burning pain
- Foot suddenly becoming limp (“foot drop”)
- Numbness and/or cramping extending to the arms, legs and hands
Get to an Emergency Room
If you or a loved one experience any of the following symptoms, it’s important to get to an emergency room as soon as possible:
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Increasing numbness between inner thighs and legs (and back of the legs)
- Severe pain spreading to both legs
Possible Corresponding Conditions
The above spine or back-pain symptoms can be indicative of any number of spinal conditions likely to require some type of treatment which could range from non-surgical treatments to surgeries such as spinal fusions. Possible corresponding conditions to the referenced symptoms likely to require some type of medical attention include:
- Discogenic back pain (may result in a herniated disc)
- Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal column)
- Lumbar spinal arthritis (affects small joints in the back)
- Osteoporosis (usually resulting in compression fractures)
Severity of pain and cause of pain will be two main factors determining the best treatment options. While a combination of rest, physical therapy and medications may be used to treat mild pain, advanced and chronic pain may require spine surgery.
To learn more about the pain experienced in your back or neck, reach out to The Spine Institute Center for Spinal Restoration and schedule an in-person consultation – 310-828-7757.