Symptoms

Those with severe back pain should visit a doctor if the pain is not relieved after a couple of days of bed rest, it recurs, or it is accompanied by pain, numbness, or tingling that radiates into the buttocks or legs.

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Because pain is a subjective experience, the doctors will ask when and how often the pain occurs; what brings it on and how long it lasts; its location, intensity, and quality (for example, sharp, dull, or tingling); and what treatments you have tried and how well they have worked. You may be asked to rate the severity of your pain on a standard pain scale.