Wondering whether you need to see a doctor for lower back pain? You are definitely not the only one.
Lower back pain consistently burdens healthcare systems across the world, causing longer wait times and shorter visits with doctors. Medical doctors and hospitals should not be the first stop for most episodes of lower back pain.
In fact, many, if not most cases of lower back pain actually don’t need professional or in person treatment at all. Let’s go through the reasons to see a doctor for lower back pain.
Contents
- Traumatic Onset
- Red-flag symptoms
- Duration & severity
- Functional limitations
- The gut test
Disclaimer:
This article is for educational purposes and is not meant to replace an assessment, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified professional. Note; no doctor patient relationship has been formed.
Causes for Concern
Here are the simple cases, the reasons that you need to see a doctor for lower back pain.
Traumatic Onset
If you have suffered a major physical trauma, you should go get checked out whether or not you have lower back pain. This is simply because there is a much higher chance of injuries that can not be handled conservatively after a major trauma. This includes lower back injuries that need surgery, but also damage to bones, internal organs and the brain.
If you have fallen from a height, been hit by a vehicle, or some other extreme case go straight to the hospital or whatever is most similar that you can access. If you have been in a car accident, had a sports injury or something similar, and you do not have major bleeding, bruising or significant cognitive dysfunction then your first stop can be to a physiotherapist or (rehab/evidence based) chiropractor.
For other cases (excluding those listed below) it can be just as well managed on your own with appropriate rest, activity modification, and exercises. This is what the LBPfix program is designed for – to help you recover without wasting time at the doctors office, or with unnecessary and costly manual therapy and modalities from a physiotherapist.
Red Flags
Listed below are signs and symptoms – also known as red flags, that are a cause for concern. If you have any of these, you should seek medical evaluation immediately:
- Progressive loss of strength in your hips and/or legs
- Numbness/tingling in the genital/anal region
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- redness/swelling over the spine
In addition to these red flags, it is a good idea to go see a healthcare professional for lower back pain if you also have other significant health issues like cancer, kidney disease, inflammatory arthritis, or if you use/have used intravenous drugs.
Other Important Variables
Now things get a little bit more grey. Below are some variables to consider when deciding if you need to see a doctor for lower back pain.
Duration and Severity
Unfortunately neither duration nor severity reliably tells us about the underlying cause of lower back pain. You can have very intense pain without any health risk, or relatively mild pain that develops into something that needs surgery.
If the pain is so intense that you can not function, it is probably a good idea to go get help. At least to get some piece of mind that there is nothing serious going on. If the pain has lasted a long time or is getting worse despite reasonable modifications to the likely causes, this is another situation which could use professional help.
Functional Limitations
As mentioned above, if things are so bad that you can’t do basic daily activities then it is a good idea to go get some help. If you can manage, but they are very uncomfortable you can improve dramatically with some simple modifications or strengthening exercises.
This is where the LBPfix Program shines. It starts with a self assessment, and categorizes you based on your pain type. It then gives you strategies specific to your category to modify your, and exercises to help build your capacity and get back to normal quickly.
The Gut Test
This one is very unscientific, but just stay with us. If you have gone through this list and have not checked any of the boxes that are cause for concern but you have a deep intuition that something is seriously wrong – then you should probably get it checked out. The odds are still that it is nothing serious, but there is something to be said for the gut feeling. Maybe it is the subconscious mind warning your conscious mind. Don’t ignore it.
For everything else click the link below to take the test to see if you qualify for the LBPfix Program today!
Our Framework: How LBPfix Can Help
1. Identify Your Pain Driver: We classify your pain into one of four movement intolerance types
2. Prescribe the Right Movement Strategy: Once we know your pain type, we match it with corrective movements
3. Build Long-Term Resilience: As pain settles, we help you:
Move confidently without flaring up
Rebuild core control and lifting mechanics
Return to work, sport, or life without setbacks
Ready to Fix Your Low Back Pain?
Take our 2-minute quiz to find out if you’re a good candidate to our program – no strings attached!
