Back pain is common no matter what type of job you do. New York workers who perform manual labor may experience back pain after a long day of moving or lifting heavy objects, while office workers may have back pain after sitting for long periods of time or in uncomfortable chairs or positions all day.
While you may learn to live with your routine back pain, certain signs or symptoms may indicate that your back pain may be more serious and may have even turned into a spinal injury. You may need emergency medical treatment.
Common signs of a serious back or spine injury
Most back pain is felt as a dull ache in one of more parts of your back. If the dull ache suddenly turns into a sharp pain, this could be a sign of a more serious injury. A sharp pain could mean you have torn a muscle or injured an internal organ. The pain may move into your legs, which could mean a problem with nerve compression.
Some signs may indicate a spinal injury, rather than your usual everyday back pain. Numbness, tingling, incontinence or unexpected leg weakness can mean a spinal injury or nerve damage.
Urgent surgery is often required to repair this damage, so if you experience any of these signs, you should immediately seek emergency treatment. The medical costs from a back or spine injury can be astronomical, and quickly add up. The injury and any surgery recovery period could mean time off work and lost wages. Back injuries are also usually extremely painful, causing victims major suffering.
Protect your legal rights
Your workplace has a legal duty to provide you with a safe working environment, free from conditions that cause injuries such as a back or spine injury. Compensation for a back injury caused by negligent working conditions may be available if an employer is found negligent. A workers’ compensation attorney can provide information on proving negligence and recovering compensation for your damages.