Set A of 55 answers
Back pain basics
Five questions about ordinary low back pain, the kind that most people meet at some point. Each answer is short, sourced and says when to see a clinician.
Most back pain is the everyday kind: it comes on, it hurts, and it usually settles. That does not make it any less miserable while it lasts. The answers in this set start with the commonest worries, such as what causes most low back pain and how long it usually lasts.
Two questions deal with decisions. One asks whether you need a scan, and the other covers when back pain is an emergency, which is rare but worth knowing. A fifth looks at whether to rest or keep moving.
When the pain has lasted for months, read what chronic low back pain is in the recovery set. If leg pain or numbness is part of the picture, the discs and nerves set may fit better.
The 5 questions in this set
- A1What causes most low back pain?Most low back pain is called non-specific, meaning no single damaged structure or disease can be named as the cause. Strained muscles and ligaments are a common explanation, and rarer causes are checked for when warning signs appear.
- A2How long does back pain usually last?Most back pain improves within a few weeks, and many people feel better much sooner. Some episodes last longer or keep coming back, and pain beyond about 12 weeks is usually called chronic.
- A3Do I need an MRI or X-ray for back pain?Most people with low back pain do not need a scan. Guidelines advise against routine imaging, and scans are kept for cases with warning signs or where the result is likely to change the treatment plan.
- A4When is back pain an emergency?Back pain needs emergency care when it comes with numbness or weakness in both legs, numbness around the genitals or anus, new bladder or bowel changes, or follows a serious accident. These can signal cauda equina syndrome, a nerve emergency.
- A5Should I rest or keep moving when my back hurts?Health bodies advise against long periods of bed rest for back pain and encourage people to stay as active as they comfortably can. A short period of taking it easy in the first days is mentioned by some sources.
The other sets
- B. Neck and headachesNeck pain, whiplash, and the headaches that can start in or near the neck.
- C. Discs and nervesSlipped discs, sciatica, narrowing of the spinal canal, and what scans show.
- D. Surgery in outlineWhen surgery is discussed, what the common operations are, and the risks.
- E. Recovery and daily lifeRecovery after surgery, exercise, physiotherapy, sleep and long-lasting pain.