Is It More than Sciatica? Sciatica Specialist in Paramus Reveals 5 Back Pain Red Flags
May 22, 2021
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders, one in every four people suffers from back pain. Despite the fact that it affects millions of Americans, very few of them are able to find proper care to alleviate their symptoms. That is because most people assume back pain will go away on its own or that they are only dealing with some minor symptoms of sciatica.
Despite how common back pain is, it can sometimes signal some concerning issues about your health. Severe conditions include infections, cauda equina syndrome (compressed nerve roots block sensation or movement), or degenerative diseases. While these conditions happen rarely, they are to be taken very seriously, as the sooner the patient gets diagnosed, the more chances they have to receive accurate treatment.
Back pain can be accompanied by a range of symptoms that serve as red flags, signalling to your pain specialist that there may be a more severe issue you are dealing with. Recognizing these signs will help you get diagnosed as early as possible and expedite the treatment and recovery process.
To help you understand your condition better, Dr George Hanna, a top sciatica specialist in Paramus is here to reveal a list of signs that pain doctors usually look for when performing a medical examination. Keep in mind that only a doctor will be able to determine for sure if and how these symptoms are related to your condition, so make sure to schedule a consultation and get yourself properly diagnosed.
#1. Your age
While age is obviously not a symptom, it may become a red flag when associated with chronic or even acute back pain. For example, if people under 18 with no history of trauma sudden experience back pain, it may be an indication of a vertebral stress fracture. This is often the case with young gymnasts or athletes. If pain is accompanied by sudden weight loss, it can also be a sign of a spinal tumor.
If you are over the age of 50, sudden back pain may indicate a variety of conditions, such as a tumor or a spinal infection. Apart from spinal conditions, back pain may be caused abdominal aortic aneurysm, which is a potentially severe deficiency in the main artery that pumps blood to your legs.
#2. Fever or chills
A fever is usually a sign that your body is fighting an infection. If it is accompanied by back pain, it can be any type of infection, including meningitis, an infection in the epidural space surrounding your spinal cord, or an infection related to surgery. Fever, chills, stiff neck, or unexplained weight loss are all common signs of a spinal infection.
Fever and chills, combined with low back pain, may also indicate a spinal epidural abscess, which is an infection that occurs between the outer covering of the spinal cord or nerve roots and the bones around it. A recently performed lumbar puncture during surgery, for example, or a steroid injection to relieve back pain, may also raise the risk of developing infections or epidural hematoma if the procedure was not performed correctly.
When dealing with spinal infections, it is important to get a correct diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible. Usually, treatment will focus on treating the infection, alleviating pain, improving nutrition, and preserving or restoring spinal stability and nervous system function.
#3. Recent trauma
A spine fracture may occur as a result of severe trauma, such as a car accident, a heavy fall, or a sports injury. When this happens, a vertebral fracture can also damage nearby nerves or the spinal cord.
Minor trauma, however, can also be a reason to get worried, particularly if you are over 50 and are dealing with or presenting high risks of osteopenia, osteoporosis, or another disease that deteriorates the bones. Minor trauma to the spine may occur as a result of reaching, twisting, or falling from a standing position.
Patients that are taking anticoagulant medication may also experience epidural hematomas as a result of trauma. In this case, you can also expect to feel symptoms such as back pain, fatigue, or tingling in the arms or legs.
#4. Pain when lying down
Although this is not always the case, back pain when laying down, also known as nocturnal back pain, can be a symptom of a severe medical illness, such as an infection.
This is particularly true if your night or sleeping back pain is accompanied by another, more indicative symptom. For example, nighttime pain and recent weight loss, especially in adolescent patients, could be a sign of something more serious and should be addressed by a specialist immediately.
#5. Incontinence
If you experience incontinence or numbness in the groin and inner thigh area, together with severe and seemingly acute back pain, these may be signs of severe nerve issues, including cauda equina syndrome.
For people that experience cauda equina syndrome, compressed nerve roots in the lumbar spine can cut off sensation and mobility in the buttocks and inner thighs, also referred to as saddle anaesthesia. If treatment is not administered quickly, paralysis and loss of sensation can become permanent.
Other signs of cauda equina include the inability to fully empty your bladder, enhanced frequency of urination, as well as overflow incontinence. Patients with this condition can also experience sexual dysfunction as well as leg weakness or sciatica, especially if the condition is worsening.
If you fear your symptoms may reveal a more severe issue, it is time you book an appointment with a spine doctor as soon as possible. At Pain Treatment Specialists, Dr Michael Nguyen and Dr George Hanna, together with their team of specialists, are dedicated to providing the best possible treatment for your condition. All of our doctors received Harvard training and are here to help you live a pain-free life, regardless if you are just looking to get your sciatica treated or receive more intensive medical care.
Book an appointment at our pain clinic, in Paramus, just off NJ-17, near the Paramus Park Mall and the Garden State Plaza Mall. For more information, we are available for phone general inquiries as well – (855) 874-9670.
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Scheduling a consultation with one of our pain treatment specialists is one of the best ways to determine the proper solution for pain relief.
Meet Our Team of Back Pain Specialists
All of our Pain Doctors in New Jersey are Harvard Trained and Board Certified in Pain Management
Back Pain Doctor Clifton & West Orange NJ
Dr. George Hanna
Dr. Hanna is a Harvard Trained back specialist in New Jersey and New York. He serves as Medical Director of Pain Management.
Back Pain Doctor Clifton & West Orange NJ
Dr. Laura Lombardi
Dr. Lombardi is a Harvard Trained back pain treatment doctor, currently seeing patients in Clifton and West Orange, New Jersey.
Back Pain Doctor Clifton & West Orange NJ
Dr. Shane Volney
Dr. Volney is a Harvard Trained back treatment doctor seeing patients in the NJ areas of Clifton & West Orange, and in NYC.
Back Pain Doctor Clifton & West Orange NJ
Dr. Michael Nguyen
Dr. Nguyen is Harvard Trained and Board Certified in Pain Management. His pain center accepts major medical insurances and Medicare.
Dr. George Hanna
Dr. Laura Lombardi
Dr. Lombardi is a Harvard Trained back pain treatment doctor, currently seeing patients in Clifton and West Orange, and Paramus New Jersey.
Dr. Shane Volney
Dr. Volney is a Harvard Trained back treatment doctor seeing patients in the NJ areas of Clifton & West Orange, and in NYC.
Dr. Michael Nguyen
Dr. Nguyen is Harvard Trained and Board Certified in Pain Management. His pain center accepts major medical insurances and Medicare.