Questions to Ask a Low Back Pain Doctor

Q: How do I know if my lower back pain is serious?

Lower back pain is serious if it prevents normal activity or is accompanied by fever, numbness, weakness, fainting, severe abdominal pain, or bladder and bowel dysfunction.

Q: How do you relieve lower back pain?

Most mild to moderate lower back pain improves with rest, ice, heat, and over-the-counter pain relievers. Additional treatments include physical therapy, medications, injections, and in some cases, surgery.

Q: What is the cause of lower back pain?

Common causes include sprains, strains, spinal fractures, bulging or herniated discs, arthritis, spinal stenosis, infections, tumors, kidney stones, and inflammatory conditions.

Q: What are the red flags for lower-back pain?

Red flags include a history of cancer, immunocompromise, unexplained weight loss, neurological impairment, or back pain following high-impact trauma.

Make the most of your initial appointment with a low back pain doctor

January 31st, 2022
By Mohammed Faraz Khan, MD, FAANS

Are you struggling to understand the severity of your lower back pain and wondering when it’s time to see a specialist? If you’ve suffered from spine and back pain symptoms for a while, searched online for a “back pain doctor near me,” or asked friends and family for referrals for spine surgeons, then it may be time to visit a healthcare provider.

Here are questions that can help you decide whether it’s time to see a back specialist.

How Do I Know if My Lower Back Pain Is Serious?

Because lower back pain is very common, it may be difficult to determine if you should be worried. It is important for individuals to trust their instincts and reach out to a healthcare provider if back pain prevents them from doing their usual activities.

In addition, certain symptoms in tandem with lower back pain can be a warning sign of a more serious condition. You should see a healthcare provider if your lower back pain is coupled with any of these symptoms:

Fever
Numbness
Weakness in one or both legs
Light-headedness
Fainting
Severe abdominal pain
Bladder and bowel dysfunction

How Do You Relieve Lower Back Pain?

In most cases of mild to moderate lower back pain, rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain relievers help patients feel better. After a few days of rest, you should be able to resume your normal activities. Staying active also enables those in pain to heal because movement can increase blood flow to the area.

If your back pain is severe and/or occurs following a traumatic accident, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Other treatments to relieve back pain will depend on the severity of the pain, the underlying cause, and the length of the pain. Treatment options include the following:

Medications: This may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or prescription medications to relieve pain. Your healthcare provider may prescribe muscle relaxers to relieve back spasms in certain situations.
Physical Therapy (PT): This helps to strengthen your muscles to better support your spine. PT can also improve flexibility and prevent another injury.
Injections: Your healthcare provider may recommend a lumbar epidural steroid injection to manage chronic lower back pain.
Surgery: Certain lower back conditions and injuries may require surgical treatment. However, there are many minimally invasive techniques.

What Is the Cause of Lower Back Pain?

The following are specific causes of back pain:

Sprains and Strains: The most common causes of back pain. You can strain your back by lifting something too heavy or twisting or bending over.
Spinal Fractures: This involves a situation in which the bones in your lumbar spine break due to a traumatic event, such as a fall or car accident.
Disk Issues: Spinal disks are essential for providing a cushion between your vertebrae. Bulging disks can press on nerves, cause a pinched nerve, or tear and become a herniated disk.
Arthritis: Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis that causes lower back pain.
Structural Spinal Issues: Spinal stenosis occurs when your spinal column is too narrow for your spinal cord.
Diseases: Spine infections and tumors can cause back pain. In addition, other conditions can cause back pain, including kidney stones and chronic inflammatory conditions.

What Are the Red Flags for Lower-Back Pain?

It’s also a good idea to visit your healthcare provider sooner if you have back pain and any of these conditions:

History of cancer
Immunocompromised
Unexplained weight loss

An urgent evaluation is especially recommended for back pain following a high-impact trauma and/or neurological impairment.

Comprehensive Spine Care

At New Jersey Brain and Spine, our highly skilled team of specialists can effectively diagnose and treat a wide variety of conditions. Although disorders of the spine are common, you do not have to live with constant back pain. Our team of hyper-focused and specialized doctors is committed to delivering the best possible result.

With decades of experience, our pain management experts and spine neurosurgeons have eased the pain for thousands of patients. Our tailored, comprehensive treatment plans help patients return to active, pain-free lives.

Learn more about New Jersey Brain and Spine’s comprehensive spine center.

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