Many people experience some form of back pain during their lifetime. In most cases, this pain is muscular in origin and will go away on its own. Most individuals seek advice initially from their primary care doctor or local medical clinic, which is appropriate for most back and neck pain. You may require pain medications, antispasmodics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy to overcome pain and immobility.

It is often unclear when to seek help from a spine surgeon. Though these physicians perform surgery on the spine, many office visits result in conservative measures. We usually don’t turn to surgery unless other approaches have failed. Conservative measures may include pain medication, anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids (either by mouth or in an injection), physical therapy, and acupuncture.

If your primary care physician diagnoses you with a back problem, you should not delay seeking a consultation from a spine surgeon if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Unrelenting pain radiating down an arm or leg
• Pain that is unrelieved after more than a week of anti-inflammatory medications or steroids
• Back pain accompanied by fever, chills, night sweats, or weight loss
• Loss of ability to move an arm or a leg or weakness in a previously functioning limb
• Inability to control the urinary bladder or bowel function

If you have one or more of these symptoms, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with one of our spine surgeons at The Spine Hospital in New York City for a thorough evaluation. Our team includes some of the most highly respected spine surgeons in New York City — who can help you understand your options and next steps.