Back Pain – Warning Signs to Seek Immediate Medical Assistance

You may have had problems with your back in the past and you were able to deal with it with a few days bed rest. This is common in most cases of back pain and there are simple remedies at home that manage the problem effectively. Even if the pain is severe you can now purchase over the counter pain killers that can help to relieve your pain.

Unfortunately, not all back pain problems can be fixed at home. In some cases back pain can be a warning that there is something more serious going on. If the situation is more serious you will need to seek medical assistance as soon as possible to determine the severity of the symptoms. However, it is better to know and understand what these symptoms are so that you can act on them and make the right decision on the best action to take.

The following symptoms could mean that you have a serious problem and that you should either go to your doctor or the emergency ward of your local hospital immediately:

Back pain wakes you up

It is normal from time to time to be awakened from your sleep during the night. This is usually caused by sleeping in an awkward position. However, if you are wakened by a pain in your back or neck on a consistent basis then, this could indicate something more serious. This is often referred to as ‘rest pain’ and could mean either an infection and in rare occasions a tumour. Even through these are rare occurrences it does warrant that you have it looked at immediately.

A serious problem such as an infection or tumour can cause consistent and throbbing pain throughout the day and it is common that the pain remains the same or gets worse when you lie down to rest in your bed. The usual way to check this problem out is to use an MRI scan which will help to determine the true cause.

When painkillers do not work

There is a large selection of over the counter painkillers available on the market. These can offer many people the relief from the pain and discomfort to get on with their daily lives. These can be combined with a few other home pain relief treatments that can help manage your back problem. However, if these no longer provide relief from your pain then this a good signal that you need to go and see your doctor and have your back problem looked at to determine if there is any serious damage. Your doctor can diagnose the problem for you and provide treatment or refer you to a specialist.