Five fast facts about back pain
Medically reviewed by Dr. Betsy Koickel, MD on April 2nd 2025.
Back pain is one of the most common conditions patients have when they visit an urgent care center or healthcare provider. In fact, 39% of adults have experienced back pain in the last three months, and there is a high probability most of us will experience some degree of back pain during our lifetimes. So, it's best to be prepared with some back pain facts. Here are five fast facts about back pain everyone should know.
1) Back pain has lots of different causes.
Back pain can come from any of the structures in your back – including the kidneys, muscles, ligaments, discs, vertebrae, and the spinal cord. Patients can also experience referred pain in the lungs, intestines, blood vessels, urinary tract, or reproductive organs. Back pain can be caused by injury, a structural issue, or an underlying medical condition. Because the causes of back pain are complex, it’s wise to seek medical attention if you’re experiencing back pain so a medical professional can make an accurate diagnosis.
2) Back pain can indicate a life-threatening condition.
When is back pain an emergency? While 95% of patients with back pain recover quickly without any long-term complications, back pain can be a red flag, indicating a life-threatening emergency that may require immediate medical attention.
Red flags of back pain include sudden onset, severe pain, fever, urinary or bowel incontinence, and weakness or numbness in the lower extremities. Patients with these symptoms require emergency medical care to quickly diagnose and treat a potentially critical condition.
3) Several factors can increase your risk of back pain.
While back pain can sometimes occur for unidentifiable reasons, there are many known risk factors for this condition. Some risk factors are beyond patients’ control – like genetics, female gender, and age.
Modifiable risk factors include smoking, lack of exercise, and obesity, especially if the excess weight is around the abdomen. If you are struggling with back pain, speak to your healthcare provider about some lifestyle changes that may be able to help.
4) Not everyone with back pain needs imaging.
X-rays and MRIs are the two most commonly used imaging tools for back pain. Since X-rays show bony structures, they can be used to diagnose fractures and degeneration or arthritis of the spine.
MRIs are used to image soft-tissue structures, including the spinal cord, spinal ligaments, paraspinal muscles, and discs. However, since most cases of back pain are musculoskeletal and resolve on their own with little intervention, not everyone with back pain needs imaging. If you’re experiencing back pain, a medical professional can evaluate your symptoms, examine you, and determine whether imaging is indicated.
5) You can take several steps to prevent back pain.
The good news is that there are lots of steps patients can take to prevent back pain! Avoiding tobacco use, achieving or maintaining a healthy weight, using good body mechanics, creating an ergonomic workspace, and exercising for at least 150 minutes every week have all been shown to decrease the risk of developing back pain.
We're here to help
If your back pain comes on suddenly or has been a chronic issue, we are here to help. What can urgent care do for back pain? Quite a lot!
For any back pain case, you will start with a visit with one of our caring providers, who will determine the underlying cause and next steps. We offer onsite X-rays and referrals to our vast network of providers if you need further evaluation. Our goal is to help you figure out the cause of your back pain so you can get back to living your life.
Ready to get started? Find the center nearest you and walk in or save your spot online. We are here 365 days a year, seven days a week, to help you feel better faster.
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