Your back pain should slowly begin to improve by taking the steps outlined in the book we sell or by following the advice in many of the articles posted on our website. It can take up to a couple of weeks for your back pain to completely disappear. You should notice improvement fast, within the first 3 days, after starting your self-care program. If you do not, see your doctor.



In rare cases, back pain can signal a serious medical problem. Seek medical attention immediately if your back pain: is intense, especially when lying down, sends shooting trails of pain down your one or both of your legs, causes weakness in your legs, causes bladder problems, is causing you to run a fever, follows a fall, blow to your back or other injury, or is accompanied by unexplained weight loss.

See your doctor if you are a recovering alcoholic or you used steroids at some time in your life.

Confirmation of Back Pain

Tests are seldom needed to confirm the cause of back pain. Nevertheless, if you do decide to go to your doctor about your back ache, he will test your ability to sit, walk, and stand. She might also use a rubber reflex-hammer to test your reflexes. Your doctor will do these tests to delineate the location of your pain as well as your range of motion. They will also help rule out more serious causes of back pain.

If your physician suspects an infection or another, more serious cause, he will order one or more of these tests:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT) scans. These scans can generate images that may reveal herniated disks or problems with bones, muscles, tissue, tendons, nerves, ligaments and blood vessels.

X-ray. This will allow your doctor to determine the alignment of your bones and if any are broken. X-ray images won't directly show problems with your spinal cord, muscles, fibrous tissues (fascia), nerves or disks.

Nerve studies (electromyography, or EMG). This test measures the electrical impulses produced by the nerves and the responses of your muscles. Studies of your nerve-conduction pathways can confirm nerve compression caused by herniated disks or narrowing of your spinal canal (spinal stenosis).

Bone scan. In very rare cases, a bone scan is used to look for compression fractures caused by osteoporosis. This scan is also used to spot bone tumors. The way it works is that you get an injection of a tracer into one of your veins. The substance collects in your bones and allows your doctor to detect bone problems using a special camera.