ORANGE PARK, Fla. – Back pain affects a significant portion of the population, but ignoring it could lead to far more serious consequences than discomfort.
Dr. Steven Goodfriend, an emergency medicine physician with HCA Florida Orange Park, says he treats patients with back issues several times a week.
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According to Goodfriend, 85% of all people will likely experience some form of back pain during their lives.
“Back pain can just be a pulled muscle, which is the most common thing, but it can be — if you are older — your aorta, it can be a kidney stone, it can be a kidney infection. If you are pregnant, sometimes a tubal pregnancy,” Goodfriend said.
Warning signs not to ignore
Goodfriend says he has seen patients wait 4 to 6 weeks before seeking medical attention — a delay he says can be dangerous.
“Sometimes people get back infections in their spine or their spinal cord, and it could cause paralysis,” he said.
He adds that hoping the pain simply goes away is not an effective approach.
“Just delaying and hoping that it is going to get better — hope is not a great strategy for things," Goodfriend said. “A part of it may be denial and thinking it’s going to go away when in general, it may not.”
Treatment options
Back pain can interfere with daily activities, and there are several paths to relief. Medication can be helpful, but patients should consult a doctor before taking any medicine.
Goodfriend says physical therapy is often a strong option, particularly exercises that strengthen the core and surrounding muscle groups.
“Strengthening the core, strengthening the glute muscles to minimize the strain on the back. Most people think the pain may be coming from their back, but it could be the muscles surrounding the area,” he said. “Some stretching and things to — under the guidance of a professional. Some people like chiropractors."
For some patients, pain management specialists may recommend back injections as a form of treatment.
Goodfriend emphasizes that consulting a medical professional is the best first step toward finding the right treatment plan.