When to Go to the Emergency Room for Back Pain

Back pain is a very common problem that affects almost everybody. It may be a simple and common complaint among many, but there are times when back pain becomes a symptom of a serious underlying condition. So how do we know if our backache warrants a visit to the emergency room?

The most important thing to do during an occurrence of a back ache is to monitor the symptoms. Can you tolerate your pain? Does the quality of pain resemble soreness, fatigue, or ache? Was there an actual identifiable cause such as engaging in a high-intensity sport a day or two before the onset of pain?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s highly probable that you are experiencing muscle spasm or muscle fatigue. In such a case, it would be prudent to get in touch with your doctor, but a trip to the emergency room may be unnecessary.

If however, your backache becomes intolerable and is accompanied by other symptoms such as persistent stiffness, tingling sensation, or numbness, you may need to be provided with highly specialized medical attention or an urgent procedure conducted in an emergency facility.

Here are the common causes of backaches that require emergency medical care.

Slipped disc
In between the individual bones that comprise the spine are rubber-like cushions called discs. They prevent each bone of the spine from coming in contact with each other.

There are instances when these discs slip, meaning the disc is pushed out from the spine, which usually happens during excessive bending or lifting something heavy from the floor. When the disc slips out from between the bones of the spine, it protrudes and inadvertently hits and irritates nearby nerves and structures, thus causing back pain.

Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis of the spine, wherein the bones of the spine fuse together, causing severe pain and extreme rigidness in the back. There are instances when the ribs may also be affected. In such cases, it may be very difficult for one to breathe.

Kidney Disease
Many people don’t see the relationship between their kidneys and their low backs. Problems with kidneys, like a kidney infection, can manifest as back pain because kidneys are located retro-peritoneally, meaning they are one of those organs situated at the back of the abdominal wall. Therefore, because the kidneys are so close to the low back area, the occurrence of a low back pain may point to a kidney problem.

Usually, kidney related back pains are accompanied by fever, vomiting, painful urination, and nausea.

If you are experiencing back pain that may be pointing to any of these serious conditions, it is best to seek emergency care.

Physicians Premier ER is an emergency facility that can provide you with complete, up-to-date, and high-quality emergency care. If you are residing in Texas, visit the Physicians Premier Calallen Emergency Room.

Other Locations:

• Saratoga Emergency Room
• Staples Corpus Christi Emergency Room
• Ennis Joslin South Padre Island Emergency Room
• Portland Texas Emergency Room
• Calallen Texas Emergency Room

Calallen Emergency Room Location: