When Should You See A Spine Specialist?

Back pain has become one of the commonest conditions complained about by patients. Irrespective of the field of work, age, gender, race, and other distinguishing factors, people have experienced back pain at least once in their life.

The spine specialists at Lone Star Spine and Rehab note that lower back pain is one of the most common conditions cutting across people of all ages and gender. It is also a leading cause of disability according to a report by the Global Burden of Disease.

While back pain may appear to be a daily symptom that reflects the stress that the body has been put through during the day and over the years, it may also be an indication of a much deeper problem that requires you to visit a spine specialist.

Who is a spine specialist and what can they do?

Many people do not read any meaning to their backaches and other conditions affecting their back and spinal area, however, over time, the problem may become more pronounced thus requiring attention.

A spine specialist is a trained professional that focuses on the diseases and issues that are associated with the spine.

A spine specialist is trained to assess the condition suffered by patients and come up with a diagnosis that helps to better address the problem.

When should I visit a spine specialist?

Having understood where to go when you are facing chronic back pain that won’t let up, there is a need to also understand when the time is right to visit the spine specialist. Wondering when to visit, below are some of the signs that indicate the need to see a spine specialist.

– Chronic pain

Pain can be acute or chronic. However, differentiating between these two types of pain can help you to determine whether it is time to visit a spine specialist or not.

Sometimes, after a hard day’s work, you experience back pain that may be excruciating but disappears on the next day, some days, or a few weeks after. This can be regarded as acute pain and this is because it is short-term.

In some cases, people experience sub-acute pain which is rather lasting and can span a period of 4 weeks to 12 weeks.

On the other hand, chronic pain is long term and has a lasting effect on health. When you experience pain that has been there for longer than 12 weeks, then, you may have a chronic pain problem.

When you are dealing with chronic pain, you need to take proactive steps to see a spine specialist to get everything checked out.

– Bowel and bladder issues

Usually, your toilet run shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. However, when you begin to notice yourself sitting on the toilet for hours, then it might be time to schedule an appointment with a spine specialist.

Some spine-related issues sometimes affect the bladder, bowel, and back and may cause discomfort on a grand scale. Some of these problems include nerve damage and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

If you are experiencing extreme stool, abdominal cramping, as well as pain associated with being at the toilet, then you may have Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

– Pain in the legs or feet

Except you have been hiking for miles or running a marathon, there are a few other activities that can leave you with severe cramping in the legs and feet. However, if you begin to notice an unusual numbness in your legs and an associated back pain, then you may need to see a spine specialist.

In some cases, extra pressure mounted on the nerves can lead to numbness or painful sensations in the legs, feet, and hip. In addition to this, you may begin to suffer some other symptoms that may be new to you. To prevent further complications, visit a spine specialist.

– Fever

The body temperature drops and increases to match the external environment. The body always strives to create a balanced condition. However, when dealing with extreme pain, the body may be thrown off balance and this may ultimately lead to a rise in temperature causing fever and extreme fever.

If you are in severe discomfort emanating from the hip or neck region and also battling fever, this may be an indication that your body has been thrown off balance and requires attention.

In persistent cases, victims may begin to experience other symptoms like weight loss, fatigue, and more.

Visiting a spine specialist as early as possible can be instrumental to an early diagnosis and treatment of the condition suffered.