Recently, your back and shoulders hurt. You often stop when you’re in the middle of doing something because the pain you’re feeling is quite evident. But because this was not your first time to feel discomforts in these areas, you decided to not do anything about it. You think that all of these will “just go away” naturally and there’s no reason for you to be worried at all – but you could be wrong. The pain you’re feeling in your back and shoulder can be linked to more serious health risks, and should never be presumed as something that’s normal.

Deciding whether or not you should see your doctor for your back and shoulder injuries can be tricky, especially if you have a lot on your plate. Some might argue that they don’t have the time and the resource to seek professional help, but if your health is put on the line, you should be able to make small sacrifices. Here are some of the signs which tells you that you should seek professional help for your back and shoulder injuries:

  1. When the pain is constant and getting worse: When you’re merely sitting down, your back and shoulder hurt. When you’re feeding your dogs, the same kind of pain is still there, and as the days passed, you slowly notice that the pain is getting worse and the activities you loved doing before now become a struggle because of your back and shoulder injuries. Having this kind of situation day in and day out might be a telltale sign that you should seek medical help for your back and shoulder injuries. Don’t wait for the pain to become the reason why you can’t do anything at all. As long as you can move (even with difficulties), visit your doctor and have yourself checked.
  2. When you experience abdominal pain: There are a lot of reasons why you might be experiencing abdominal pain. But knowing when you’ve started to experience such pain can help you determine its cause. Abdominal pain is one sign which can tell you that your back and shoulder injuries are worsening over time. Abdominal pain is just one of the ill-effects of back and shoulder injuries, and if you’ve been suffering from one for days, you should have yourself checked.
  3. When there is evident swelling and redness: There are certain physical symptoms which are more than just “feeling sore” and once you’ve experienced this in your back and shoulders, you should seek out medical assistance right way. If your shoulder joints are obviously swollen or tender and if you experience chronic pain in your middle and lower back after sitting for extended periods, you should consider having it looked at, especially if the symptoms are persistent over long periods of time.
  4. When your home remedies failed: When you experience joint pain in your back and shoulder for the first time, most often than not, you would immediately search the Internet for the home remedies. While you might be able to follow every instruction properly, home remedies are not an assurance that your back and shoulder injuries will improve over time. If over-the-counter drugs, long naps for consecutive days and applying cold or hot compress isn’t doing the trick for you (or if all of these only brought temporary relief to you), it’s probably a good idea to call your doctor and schedule for an appointment as soon as possible.
  5. When there is pain whenever you lift: Shoulder injuries can be associated to harm your rotator cuff. Once untreated, it can result in a permanent rotator cuff tear. To stray away from that direction, check if you’re feeling pain whenever you move your back and shoulders in certain directions. A reliable way of determining whether the pain you’re feeling right now needs a doctor’s attention and care is by trying to lift your arm over your head. If doing this, along with other daily activities such as getting prepared in the morning increase your pain level, you might have developed tears or strains. Both of these should be treated immediately as these can worsen by the minute.
  6. When you experience lengthy symptoms: Conditions which are temporary and can be treated with self-care, and only needs about a day or two to subside. However, if you continue to feel pain in your back and shoulders over several days and weeks, no matter how mild or strong the pain is, medical help for your injuries might be needed. Keep in mind that the pain you’re feeling can be associated with other chronic conditions such as bursitis, osteoarthritis, and tendinitis; that’s why a doctor’s personal recommendations are needed.

In conclusion

Never think that just because you can think straight or meet your responsibilities at home your injuries are too minor to even care about. Injuries require time, and when you seek professional help a little too late, chances are its effects can no longer be reversible, and you can end up suffering its ill-effects permanently. The information presented in this article can help you prevent being placed in that kind of situation. If you’ve checked at least one item from the list, schedule an appointment with your doctor right away. The earlier you’re able to seek medical help, the easier it is for you to heal and recover.

If you’ve had back and shoulder injuries at work, you may consider several legal options such as filing a workers’ compensation claim. To learn more information about this subject, you can click here.

Jean Clark
Jean Clark is a professional writer and loves anything to do with law in business or in the public. She is family oriented, and she loves spending her free time with her family.

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