When to seek medical advice
- Follows a fall, blow to your back or other injury
- Is constant or intense
- Worsens during rest or at night
- Spreads down one or both legs
- Causes weakness, numbness or tingling in one or both legs
- Is associated with new bowel or bladder problems
- Is accompanied by fever
- Is associated with pain or throbbing in the abdomen
- Is accompanied by unexplained weight loss
Get medical care immediately if you have severe low back pain that:
Also, see your doctor if you start having back pain for the first time after age 50, or if you have a history of cancer, osteoporosis, steroid use, or drug or alcohol abuse.
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