Low Back Pain (LBP)

Most people experience Low Back Pain (LBP) in their lifetime. Most LBP is associated with movement and activity and it is rarely due to serious illness.

When to seek urgent help

If you have any sudden onset of any combination of these symptoms go to the emergency department or call 999:

• leg pain on both sides coming from your back
• weakness or numbness in both legs that’s severe or getting worse
• numbness around or under your genitals, or around your bottom (anus)
• find it hard to start peeing, cannot pee or cannot control when you pee – and this is not normal for you
• do not notice when you need to poo or cannot control when you poo – and this is not normal for you
• pain following major trauma such as a road traffic accident or fall from height
• pain following minor trauma in older people, an osteoporosis diagnosis or long-term steroid use

These could be symptoms of a serious back problem that needs to be treated in hospital as soon as possible.

If you have any of these symptoms, please consult your GP as soon as possible:

• pain that remains or worsens when lying down and disturbing sleep
• fever or high temperature
• disturbance to your normal walk or significant unsteadiness
• band-like pain around your torso

If you are pregnant with back pain, seek advice from your midwife, GP, or first contact physiotherapist within your GP practice.

If you develop any of the above symptoms during your recovery, please seek urgent medical advice.

If you do not have any of these symptoms, please watch the video: When you should seek urgent help for your backpain (youtube.com)