Back injuries are very common on the job. Some office workers have chronic back pain from sitting at a desk all day. Other workers injure their backs trying to lift something that’s extremely heavy or in a workplace accident, like a fall from a ladder.
In some cases, back pain won’t be very severe and just needs treatment at home or perhaps a visit to the chiropractor. But in other cases, it will be incredibly severe and may even be an emergency. Here are a few signs that your situation is serious and you need to get medical care as soon as possible.
You are experiencing sharp pain
When you have a dull ache, it could be muscle fatigue or something of this nature. But sharp pain often means nerve issues or torn muscles and ligaments. In some cases, it could even mean that you’ve injured an internal organ, but it’s just manifesting as sharp back pain.
Feelings of weakness
If your legs suddenly feel weak, even if you can still move, it could indicate that you’re dealing with compressed nerves. It could also indicate that you’re having a stroke. Either way, weakness is far more serious than pain on its own and you need to talk to a medical professional.
Pain that seems to move
In some cases, people will talk about radiating pain, or pain that “moves” through their body. It could be shooting pain that moves down the legs when you try to take a step. In some cases, this pain could be so severe that you can barely move and you certainly could not continue working.
If you do have a serious back injury after a workplace accident, then you also need to know about your options to seek proper workers’ comp benefits.
