Back pain

Find the first group that matches. Each one is a MySymptom care level, from most to least urgent.

1. Call 911 now

   • Sudden, severe tearing pain in the back or belly, especially with fainting

2. Go to the ER now

   • Loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the groin or inner thighs
   • New weakness in a leg or foot

3. Get seen today

   • Back pain after a fall or other injury

4. Call your doctor today

   • Back pain with fever or chills

5. Book a visit

   • Pain lasting more than 4 to 6 weeks, or that keeps coming back
   • Pain that spreads down a leg
   • Stiffness every morning that lasts a long time
   • Back pain with weight loss you can't explain

6. Care for it at home

   • Back pain after lifting or sitting too long, with no warning signs. Keep gently moving.

Back pain can be a deep ache, sharp catch, burning, or stiffness. It may stay localized in the lower or upper back, wrap around to the side, or radiate into the buttock, hip, or down the leg (sciatica). Pain that's worse with certain movements, eased by others, and that has no warning signs is usually mechanical.

Back pain is one of the most common reasons adults miss work or visit a clinic, and most cases are mechanical, meaning they come from muscles, ligaments, or joints rather than serious disease. Lifting something awkwardly, sitting for hours in poor posture, sleeping wrong, or simply moving the wrong way can all set off pain that may take days to weeks to fully resolve.

The encouraging news is that the vast majority of back pain improves with simple measures: gentle movement, time, and a few sensible adjustments. Bed rest, once the standard advice, is now known to actually slow recovery. Movement, within tolerable limits, is one of the best things you can do. Pain that doesn't improve, that radiates down a leg, or that comes with red-flag symptoms deserves a closer look.

• Muscle strain or ligament sprain

  By far the most common cause: lifting heavy objects, twisting, sudden movements, or just sleeping in an awkward position can strain the soft tissues of the back.

• Poor posture and prolonged sitting

  Hours at a desk or in a car put steady load on lower back muscles and discs, leading to a slow-building ache.

• Herniated or bulging disc

  When a spinal disc presses on a nerve root, it can cause sharp pain, often radiating into a leg, sometimes with numbness or tingling.

• Arthritis of the spine

  Wear-and-tear changes in spinal joints, more common with age, can cause stiffness and aching that's worse in the morning or after activity.

• Sciatica

  Irritation of the sciatic nerve causes pain that travels from the lower back through the buttock and down the leg, sometimes with tingling or weakness.

• Kidney issues

  Kidney stones and infections can cause pain in the flank or mid-back, often paired with urinary symptoms or fever.

These steps are for mild symptoms with none of the warning signs above. Ask a pharmacist before taking any medicine.

• Stay gently active

  Avoid prolonged bed rest. Short walks, easy stretching, and normal daily activity within tolerable limits speed recovery.

• Heat or ice

  Ice for the first 24 to 48 hours of acute pain can reduce inflammation; heat after that helps relax tight muscles.

• Improve workstation ergonomics

  Adjust chair, monitor, and keyboard so your spine stays neutral. Stand and stretch every 30 to 45 minutes.

• Targeted stretches

  Knee-to-chest, child's pose, and gentle hamstring stretches relieve common lower-back tension. Move slowly and stop if pain sharpens.

• Strengthen the core

  Once acute pain settles, strengthening the deep abdominal and back muscles is one of the best ways to prevent recurrence.

• Over-the-counter pain relief

  Short courses of ibuprofen or acetaminophen, used as directed, can help during the worst phase.