Understanding Back and Neck Conditions

The impact of back or neck pain on daily life can be debilitating. It can affect your productivity at work, interfere with family responsibilities, cause depression and anxiety, and contribute to an overall decline in health and well-being.

Back and neck pain is extremely common, affecting up to 80 percent of Americans at some point in their lives. But with the right diagnosis, lifestyle changes, and a treatment plan, back and neck conditions can be treated successfully, pain can be relieved, and your quality of life restored. 

Most people who experience back pain or neck pain first see their primary care physician. Your primary care doctor can do the initial evaluation and then refer you to a spine specialist if needed. 

It is recommended that people with back or neck pain see a provider when pain:

• Lasts longer than two weeks
• Causes new bowel or bladder problems
• Is accompanied by a fever
• Follows an injury or trauma
• Is severe and does not improve with rest
• Spreads down one or both legs or arms
• Causes weakness, numbness or tingling in one or both legs or arms
• Is accompanied by unexplained weight loss
• Occurs in a patient with a history of cancer