Neurosurgeon explains: When is low back pain SERIOUS… and you need to take action.

Low back pain is serious if the underlying cause threatens your life or could leave you with permanent nerve damage unless you act now; fortunately, that is almost never the case. But almost is not good enough when we are talking about life or limb.

As it turns out, low back pain is SERIOUS if it is caused by 4 underlying conditions. The 4 causes of SERIOUS low back pain are:
Instability. The structure of the spine is damaged in a way that it can no longer protect the underlying neural elements. Instability is usually due to an accident.
Cancers. A tumor can start or spread to the spine. Thankfully cancer of the spine is extremely rare and can usually be detected with a simple x-ray.
Infection. Bacterial, fungal, or even mycoplasma infection of discs can spread to the bones and cause permanent nerve damage. Your spine is normally resistant to infection. Most people with disc infections are already unhealthy due to drug addiction or even immunosuppression.
Giant herniated discs. Nerve root damage can happen due to herniated discs. If enough nerve roots are compressed, you get cauda equina syndrome which is:
Urinary retention
Numbness everywhere a saddle touches your private parts
Sciatica in both legs
Numbness and weakness in the legs

In this video we explain how to know when SEVERE low back pain is an urgent medical emergency and what to do if you have SEVERE low back pain.

To read more check our blog on the topic here:
https://phoenixspineandjoint.com/when-is-low-back-pain-serious/

Pay special attention to any red flags.

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