# How long to wait before seeing doctor for back pain? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2008, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-wait-before-seeing-doctor-for-back-pain/457237 "2008-07-21T08:36:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-wait-before-seeing-doctor-for-back-pain/457237/1 "2008-07-21T08:36:31Z")
Standing up last night, something went wrong in my back, and now I have a severe pain in my lower back. I cannot bend over (it took me ten minutes to put shoes and socks on, this morning), turn over in bed, climb in or out of a car with ease, and I can barely walk. Even sitting down is painful. Early this morning, I took two Ibuprofen, but they don’t seem to be doing any thing. I’ve searched online, but nearly all websites recommend leaving it for a while to see whether the pain disappears of its own accord. Is this good advice? I’m 23, if that makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Melkor28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Melkor28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melkor28)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-wait-before-seeing-doctor-for-back-pain/457237/2 "2008-07-21T08:52:56Z")
I would take the day off and see a doctor right away. You can barley move, that’s not reguular back pain. I had a herinated disc, surgery. The bulge was leanning on the L5 nerve. I woke up one day, same simptions; but there was baick pain on and off for a while, and a build up to that morning. If it takes 5 min. to put shoes on, clearly something is wrong. See a doctor ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-wait-before-seeing-doctor-for-back-pain/457237/3 "2008-07-21T21:23:05Z")
First time you’ve had something like this happen? I’d suggest checking with a doctor soonish just to make sure it’s nothing but a muscle spasm. If it is, it’ll go away soon enough with ibuprofen, heat (or cold, I’ve heard, helps some folks more), and gentle stretching. Then you’ll know the symptoms next time it happens. If it’s something more than muscular, then you’ll want to know that soonest as perhaps the above options might NOT be a good choice. That said, it’s quite possible for “just” muscles to be that painful - a few months ago I was getting dressed, moved funny, and PAIN struck my lower back. Ibuprofen barely touched it. Getting dressed the rest of the way, well, wasn’t something I was anxious to repeat, and I phoned in to work to tell them I would be working from home that day. 48 hours later, and I was still sore but was MUCH better. HOWEVER - this was _not_ my first back spasm so I had a very good idea what it was. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-wait-before-seeing-doctor-for-back-pain/457237/4 "2008-07-21T22:38:04Z")
Here’s some good tips about back pain, including when to call a doc. > **[Diseases and Conditions - familydoctor.org](https://familydoctor.org/diseases-and-conditions/)** > > Find doctor-approved information about symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of common diseases and conditions. [quote] Call your family doctor if: [ul][li]Pain goes down your leg below your knee [/li][li]Your leg, foot, groin or rectal area feels numb [/li][li]You have fever, nausea or vomiting, stomachache, weakness or sweating [/li][li]You lose control over going to the bathroom [/li][li]Your pain was caused by an injury [/li][li]Your pain is so intense you can’t move around [/li][li]Your pain doesn’t seem to be getting better after 2 to 3 weeks[/ul][/li][/quote] ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-wait-before-seeing-doctor-for-back-pain/457237/5 "2008-07-21T22:39:01Z")
The Better Half went through a spell of serious back trouble a while ago, and the skinny he had from both his doctor and his chiropractor was, “Two days.” Two days in bed is the limit; after that, you’re either well enough to go back to work, or if you can’t manage that, then you’re off to the doctor. But you don’t lie around in bed for more than two days hoping it’ll get better, because two days is the cutoff, and the longer you lie around, the worse it can actually make whatever’s wrong with your back. So, if you’re not well enough to go back to work Wednesday morning, go to the doctor on Wednesday instead. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-wait-before-seeing-doctor-for-back-pain/457237/6 "2008-07-21T22:53:37Z")
[QUOTE=Duck Duck Goose] So, if you’re not well enough to go back to work Wednesday morning, go to the doctor on Wednesday instead. [/QUOTE] Well, that isn’t the advice that I would necessarily give. I’d recommend reviewing the suggestions I posted & linked to above, and if still unsure, call your doc and ask how soon she wants to see you. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-wait-before-seeing-doctor-for-back-pain/457237/7 "2008-07-23T14:08:21Z")
Thanks for the help. After trying to do some work on Monday and being too uncomfortable to sit down, I went to the hospital. Turns out it was just a pulled muscle, but I got some painkillers that are numbing it. Who knew a muscle could cause so much pain! ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-wait-before-seeing-doctor-for-back-pain/457237/8 "2008-07-23T14:22:35Z")
You have my sympathy, I tend to get a fair number of muscle spasms in my back and shoulders (thank you, scoliosis :rolleyes: ) and they can, on occasion, be incredibly painful. Ice helps mine, as well as finding somebody who is willing to massage the spot while I’m trying not to scream in agony while they do it. “I’m hurting you!” “Yes, you are, don’t stop!” ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-wait-before-seeing-doctor-for-back-pain/457237/9 "2008-07-23T15:31:46Z")
[QUOTE=Capt. Ridley’s Shooting Party] Thanks for the help. After trying to do some work on Monday and being too uncomfortable to sit down, I went to the hospital. Turns out it was just a pulled muscle, but I got some painkillers that are numbing it. Who knew a muscle could cause so much pain! [/QUOTE] Pulled muscles can be serious injuries, in some cases - there are several athletes for whom muscle pulls have been career-ending. Apply ice, take it easy, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-wait-before-seeing-doctor-for-back-pain/457237/10 "2008-07-23T15:37:01Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Well, that isn’t the advice that I would necessarily give. [/QUOTE] Well, yeah, but the OP was asking basically, not, “When should I go to the doctor?” but rather plaintively, “I hurt! How soon can I go to the doctor?” Which is different. He was in pain, so I was giving him a rationale to go to the doctor sooner rather than later, and not trying to tough it out. Wouldn’t you rather have someone in pain consult a doctor instead of lying around at home hoping it would get better?