Your mother always told you to sit up straight, but you do everything but that to be more comfortable because your back or your neck (or maybe both) hurts all the time – and this may be an indication you have a serious back or neck problem that needs immediate evaluation by a spine doctor.
While most episodes of back and neck pain last a few days and can be resolved completely, here are a few warning signs that may indicate a problem that requires immediate evaluation:
- Your pain persists beyond a few days
- Your pain awakens you at night
- You find yourself standing to alleviate pain
- You sit with poor posture to alleviate pain
- Your have difficulty controlling your bowels or bladder
- You have a fever, chills, sweats, or other signs of infection
- Any other unusual symptoms
At Texas Back Institute, a large number of our patients express regret they lived with pain before doing something about it. A few regret it more because waiting too long allowed the problem to progress.
Although National Spine Health Day is October 16, every day is important for taking care of your back and neck. While there are many things you should do to protect your back and neck, remember to maintain good posture, exercise and stretch regularly, and take care to always lift, pull or push carefully and properly.