How Long Is Too Long To Have Back Pain?
Category: Back Pain | Author: Stefano Sinicropi
Back issues are incredibly common as we go through life, and while pain is never normal, you can expect some level of discomfort or pain after an injury or a period of heavy strain on your back. Pain is a normal result after acute back strain or injury, but how long is too long for this discomfort to persist? In today’s blog, we explain how long is too long when it comes to persistent back pain.
When Should I Worry About My Back Pain?
Spinal issues vary in significance, so we can’t just sit here and tell you that discomfort that lasts more than two weeks is a clear sign of a serious back issue. Back injuries and their recovery timelines are unique to the individual, so there is no clear cut date where your symptoms should be resolved if you’re dealing with new pain. Determining if you’ve been dealing with back pain for too long will require a closer inspection of your injuries and symptoms.
The key thing you’ll want to focus on when determining if you can manage your back pain on your own or if you’ll want to connect with a physician is whether or not your recovery trajectory is heading in the right direction. We can’t sit here and say that you should always be free of pain after a week of treatment, but we can say that your symptoms should always be gradually moving in the right direction. You may still have pain or similar symptoms, but if they are less than they were a couple days or weeks ago, you’re trending in the right direction. If symptoms have stayed the same for a few days or you’ve noticed that your discomfort has gotten worse, these are clear signs that you should consider consulting with a spine specialist. Symptoms that cease to improve require closer attention.
If you’re dead set on putting a timeline on your symptoms and recovery, we’ll mention that back pain is considered chronic when it lasts for longer than three months. If you’ve been trying to treat your back pain for three months and are still dealing with regular symptoms, it’s best to connect or reconnect with your spine specialist. Chronic pain suggests that impairment has exceeded your body’s natural recovery ability, and without proactive treatment, there’s no reason to assume your symptoms will resolve. Nobody should ever have to deal with chronic back pain, but if you’ve been bothered by symptoms for longer than three months, your back issue is considered chronic.
Worsening or stagnating symptoms are the most obvious signs that your back issue has persisted too long, but other factors to consider when working to determine if your back pain has become a prolonged issue that warrants professional intervention include:
- Back pain is disrupting your sleep quality
- Back pain is keeping you from participating in activities you enjoy
- Back pain is forcing to into a sedentary lifestyle
- Back pain is not responding to treatment
If you answered yes to any of the bulleted items above, it’s clear that your back pain has been a problem for too long. The good news is that solutions may be closer than you think. Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute specialize in helping patients find ways to put an end to their back pain once and for all. Let us get to the bottom of your issue, develop an individualized treatment plan and help you achieve all your recovery goals. Don’t live with back pain one day longer. Instead, connect with Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
