Back pain is something that will affect nearly every single person at least once in their lifetime. While most back pain is mild and can be fixed with exercises, physical therapy, or a deep-tissue massage, some back pain requires treatment by a spine specialist.
You’ve Suffered a Traumatic Injury
It’s important to seek out a spine specialist after car wrecks, major falls, sports collisions, and other traumatic injuries. While you may not feel pain immediately, these events can lead to severe spinal issues such as a ruptured disk or spinal cord injury.
You’re Experiencing Pain or Numbness in Your Extremities
One of the biggest red flags that you need to see a spine specialist is when you begin experiencing pain and numbness in your extremities. Pressure on the nerves in your spine can cause tingling and numbness in the hips, legs, and feet. One of the most common causes for this is a herniated disc possibly pressing on your sciatic nerve, the longest and thickest nerve in the body.
You’ve Developed Bowel or Bladder Issues
If you’re experiencing back pain while also having a hard time controlling when you go to the bathroom or spending hours on the toilet, that means it’s time to see a specialist. These issues could be caused by anything from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and spinal arthritis to nerve damage and spinal tumors.
Your Back Pain is Constant and Increasing
Pain is one of the main signals our bodies use to let us know that something isn’t right. If you’ve been dealing with back pain for weeks, months, or even years then your pain has transitioned from regular pain to chronic pain. This is a cause for concern and should be evaluated by a specialist center such as Petersen Neurospine.
Your Quality of Life Has Diminished
Walking up the stairs, driving, bending over to tie your shoe, picking up your kids or grandkids…these are parts of your life that can be impaired due to back pain and spinal injuries. If you’re unable to perform daily tasks, then the quality of your life has diminished and you need to see a specialist for treatment and support.
If you’re experiencing any of these five signs, please consider consulting a spine specialist. Our team here at Petersen Neurospine is here to help you to find and treat the cause of your back pain. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
ABOUT PETERSEN NEUROSPINE
Dr. Bendt P. Petersen is an orthopaedic and neurospine surgical specialist with over twenty years in operative clinical practice. He is a fellowship-trained surgeon whose practice is the only one in the Mobile-area devoted exclusively to the treatment of your spine.
The Center for Spine Health employs the most advanced operative and non-operative therapies in concert with the most highly-trained physical therapists and other advanced ancillary practitioners to help you live the life you want to live.