When to Go to Urgent Care for Back Pain?

Back pain has many causes, including:

Medical conditions, such as:

• Arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine
• Pregnancy
• Tumors
• Kidney stones and infections
• Endometriosis
• Osteomyelitis or discitis
• Fibromyalgia
• Herniated or slipped discs
• Bulging discs
• Degenerative disc disease
• Inflammation and wear of the sacroiliac joint
• Spinal stenosis
• Cervical radiculopathy
• Spondylolisthesis

Accidents and Injuries, such as:

• Car accidents
• Falls
• Spine or vertebral fractures
• Sprains and strains
• Spasms

The following signs and symptoms may be indicative of a serious medical situation:

• Persistent fevers
• Unplanned weight loss
• Blood in the stool or urine
• Progressive numbness or weakness in the legs
• Inability to urinate or have a bowel movement
• Loss of bowel/bladder control
• Pain at night
• Sexual dysfunction
• Balance problems
• Pain not alleviated or worsened by different positions
• Recent IV drug use
• Progressive worsening of pain despite relative rest
• Recent trauma

Back pain that warrants a visit to the doctor:

• Is constant or intense, especially at night
• Spreads down one or both legs, in particular, if the pain goes below the knee
• Causes weakness, numbness, or tingling in either leg
• Occurs with unintended weight loss
• Occurs with swelling or redness on the back

Seek emergency medical care if back pain:

• Occurs after a high-impact car crash
• Occurs after a bad fall or sports injury
• Causes new bowel or bladder control problems
• Occurs with a fever

The treatment for back pain largely depends upon several factors, including:

• The severity of pain
• The cause of pain
• The presence of any underlying health conditions
• The age of the patient
• If other treatments have failed to provide relief
• How the patient responds to treatment

Based on these factors, a back pain specialist will create a treatment plan that addresses the individual concerns of the patient. At Priority Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic, we use the following therapies to treat back pain:

• Integrative medicine
• Chiropractic care
• Spinal decompression
• Custom orthotics
• Physical rehabilitation

We use these therapies because they do not cause dependencies (such as painkillers), and they work to address the root cause of the pain. They also do not cause serious side effects (like with pain medication and surgery) and do not come with long recovery periods or downtimes (as does surgery).
 
If you are experiencing back pain, come to Priority Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic today. Our kind and compassionate professionals are experienced in treating a number of causes of back pain and can help you address the underlying cause of your pain for effective and long-term relief! Call us today or book an appointment online. We serve patients from Ellington CT, Unionville CT, East Haven CT, Cromwell CT, Oxford, CT and Newington, CT, and BEYOND!