Red Flag Signs suggestive of emergency attention for Back pain treatment.
Dr Om Patil @SpineWala @Orthodocsurgeon
Dont take your back pain casually if you are having following Signs associated with your back ache.
Age of onset <18 years or >60 years:
Back pain is usually uncommon in younger age group and elderly people above 60 years, unless and until there is any significant problem in your Spinal anatomy,
Thoracic pain:
Usually it is associated with the Spinal osteoporotic fractures due to associated loss of bone density, thoracic pain is primary indicator of spinal disease
Fever and unexplained weight loss:
If you are having frequent fever or sudden weight loss in last 3 months , weight loss more than 10 % of your body weight.
Urine and bowel dysfunction:
If you have delayed motion, or Constipation for longer duration >3 days , abnormal gut feeling abdominal distension, associated with back pain, may be due to some abdominal obstruction or swelling or mass in abdomen causing increased pressure on Spinal column.
Loss of urinary control or change in frequency of urination, increased urgency, of urinary retention, all are signs or neurological involvement of spinal column, most likely due to
History of carcinoma:
If you have suffered from cancer in the past or ongoing treatment of chemo radiotherapy for cancer, back pain may be due to tutor spread to spine or spinal metastases.
Neurological Signs and symptoms:
Progressive neurological weakness, inability walk or movement of toes or ankle for leg, weakness or paralysis of limbs, weakness in hand grip, inability to grasp any object or do fine work with fingers, continos tingling and progressive numbness in hands and feet may be associated with neurological compression of spinal cord.
Disturbed gait, saddle anaesthesia:
Decreased sensation in groin, perineum and anal region is commonly known as saddle anaesthesia, commonly associated with cauda equina syndrome. Spinal tracts compression by spinal swelling, tumours or large sudden disc bulge in spine is associated loss of gait control, loss of balance while walking.
Ill health or presence of other medical illness:
Medical illness such blood coagulation disorders, cardiac and neurological disorders may also present as back pain with underlying serious illness such uncontrolled diabetes, hepatic failure , uncontrolled hypertension, blood pressure, Osteoporosis causing spinal fracture