BACK PAIN 141
Does either of the following apply?
Pain makes any movement difficult
Pain shoots from the spine down the back of the leg
Neither
ACTION
TRY SELF-HELP MEASURES You have probably strained some of the muscles or sprained some of the ligaments in your back.
• Take an analgesic such as acetaminophen.
• Place a covered hotwater bottle or a heat pad against your back to ease the pain.
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR if you do not feel any better in 2 or 3 days or if any other symptoms develop.
ACTION
SEE YOUR DOCTOR WITHIN 24 HOURS You may have fractured a vertebra as a result of osteoporosis or have sciatica, caused by a slipped disk.
How old are you?
45 or over
Under 45
ACTION
SEE YOUR DOCTOR WITHIN 24 HOURS You may have fractured a vertebra as a result of osteoporosis.
ACTION
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR You may have osteoarthritis.
ACTION
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR You may have ankylosing spondylitis( a form of arthritis affecting the back of the pelvis and the vertebrae of the spine), especially if you are male.
ACTION
CALL YOUR DOCTOR NOW New back pain or a worsening of existing back pain may indicate the start of labor.
Are you in the last 3 months of pregnancy?
Have you been suffering from increasing pain and stiffness for several months?
Yes
No
Does either of the following apply?
You are over 60
You have recently been immobile due to illness or injury
Neither
Pregnant
Not pregnant
ACTION
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR if you cannot identify a possible cause for your back pain from this chart.