Low Back Pain

Early medical attention is necessary if certain symptoms ("red flags") are present:

• Constant pain with no significant relief at rest
• Aggravated by bending in all directions
• Localisable severe pain to a single spot on the back
• Progressively severe pain over days/weeks
• Persistent nerve pains, pain or sensation of numbness, pins & needles aching in one or both legs
• Weakness of legs, difficulty in walking, unsteady walking
• Bladder/bowel problems associated with back pain (difficulty in passing urine - incontinence)
• General symptoms of poor health, loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, fever and chills
• Previous history of cancer