Back pain is a common complaint among adults, ranging from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp sensation. While it’s normal to experience occasional back pain due to poor posture, overexertion, or muscle strain, sometimes it may indicate a more serious underlying condition.
Understanding when to seek medical help for back pain is crucial. Here are some warning signs that your back pain may require professional attention. Additionally, we will also mention an orthopedic practice where you can go to seek personalized, high-quality treatment for your back pain.
Persistent Pain
If your back pain persists for more than a few weeks despite rest and home remedies like over-the-counter pain relievers, hot or cold packs, and gentle stretches, it’s time to see a healthcare professional like an orthopedic doctor.
Persistent or chronic pain could be a sign of conditions such as degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, or osteoarthritis. An orthopedic doctor can perform a comprehensive assessment to provide you with a diagnosis and tailor a back pain treatment plan for you.
Severe Pain
While the severity of pain does not always correlate with the seriousness of the condition, severe pain can be a red flag. If the pain is intense, worsens at night, or is not relieved by rest, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Pain Following an Injury
If your back pain started after a fall, an accident, or a blow to your back, it’s essential to get checked out by an orthopedic doctor immediately. Such incidents could result in fractures, sprains, or other injuries that require prompt orthopedic treatment.
Pain Accompanied by Other Symptoms
If your back pain is accompanied by other troubling symptoms such as fever, chills, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, or weakness in your legs, it could be a sign of an underlying medical condition. These symptoms could indicate a serious condition like an infection, tumor, or spinal cord injury.
Neurological Symptoms
Back pain accompanied by symptoms such as numbness, tingling, weakness in your legs, or problems with bladder or bowel control is a clear signal to consult a healthcare professional immediately. These could indicate nerve compression or damage, possibly due to conditions like herniated discs or spinal stenosis.
Pain Has Limited Your Range of Motion
Back pain accompanied by a limited range of motion can significantly impact your daily activities and overall quality of life. Often, it’s a sign of an underlying health issue such as muscle strain or sprain, herniated or bulging disc, spinal stenosis, or osteoarthritis, which needs attention.
You Are Over 50
As we age, the likelihood of our back pain being linked to a more severe condition increases. If you are over 50 and experiencing new or worsening back pain, it’s essential to get it checked out. Conditions like osteoporosis or spinal fractures are more common in older adults.
How Orthopedic Doctor Can Help?
Orthopedic doctors, with their specialization in the musculoskeletal system, can be instrumental in diagnosing and managing back pain. They use a variety of methods to diagnose the root cause of your pain, such as physical examinations, reviewing medical history, and utilizing diagnostic imaging tests like X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans.
Once they have pinpointed the cause, they can recommend appropriate treatment options tailored to your condition. These treatments could range from non-surgical interventions such as physical therapy, medications, or injections to surgical procedures if necessary.
If your back pain is severe or persistent and hasn’t responded to conservative treatments, an orthopedic surgeon can perform surgeries such as spinal fusion, disc replacement, or decompression surgery.
Post-treatment or surgery, orthopedic doctors often collaborate with physical therapists to design personalized rehabilitation programs. These programs aim to help you regain strength, flexibility, and functional mobility. Moreover, orthopedic doctors can provide valuable advice on preventing back pain through lifestyle changes.
Back Pain Treatment in Dover, NJ
At Orthopedic Associates of West Jersey, our highly experienced orthopedic specialists are dedicated to delivering quick and comprehensive treatment for all types of injuries and conditions affecting the bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons, including spinal conditions.
Our talented, board-certified, and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons have many years of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic-related injuries and diseases, including back pain. If non-invasive treatments don’t alleviate your pain, our experts can perform surgery to ease your back pain and help you regain your mobility.
To make an appointment with us for your back pain treatment, call today at (973) 989-0888 or fill out our online appointment request form. We are looking forward to serving you!
