How To Know If You Injured Your Back
Category: Spinal Cord Injury | Author: Stefano Sinicropi
For some, it’s very easy to tell that there is something wrong with their back. Maybe they heard a crack while moving a heavy box or they fell off a ladder and landed on their back and the injury is evident. But just as often if not more, the injury isn’t all that obvious, and it can leave the individual wondering what’s going on in their body. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the signs that suggest you may have injured your back.
Did I Hurt My Back?
If you can answer yes to one or more of the following bullet points, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with an underlying spinal condition. Here’s a look at some of the signs that suggest the pain you’re dealing with is caused by an issue in your back:
- Pain that worsens with standing, walking, coughing or laughing
- Spinal stiffness or inhibited range of motion in the spine or neck
- Difficulty standing up straight
- Inhibited gait
- Pain that radiates down your arms or legs
- Difficulty urinating
- Localized swelling or tenderness
- Pain that gets better when lying down
If the above signs describe your situation, odds are you have a back injury. But now that you know you have a back injury, what should you do next?
Getting Help
If you believe the injury is relatively minor, you may want to try some conservative treatment options to see if it heals on its own. Do a little digging online or search our blog to see if you can pinpoint what you’re dealing with and then Google some treatment options. In many cases, rest, physical therapy, stretching and mild exercise can help to treat the problem and strengthen the affected areas.
However, if you want a little more hands-on help with your spinal condition, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s clinic. He’ll review your medical data and family history before asking you about your symptoms and then conducting a physical exam. He usually has a pretty good idea what’s going on after the exam, but he can make a pinpoint diagnosis with the assistance of an imaging test like an x-ray or MRI. From there, he’ll explain your diagnosis, the next steps in your care, and how to move forward with treatment. He’ll be with you every step of the way until your pain is in the past.
Knowing you have back pain is half the battle, but the other half is taking proactive steps to treat it, and Dr. Sinicropi can provide that and more. To learn more about what he can do for you, or to schedule an appointment with his office, give him a call today at (651) 430-3800.
