Important Alerts
Updates

Effective March 20, the pediatric providers at Poughkeepsie Columbia moved to Poughkeepsie Oakwood.

Attention former CareMount Medical patients: A new and improved Patient Portal is here.

Now Open: Women’s Health clinical space in Poughkeepsie. Learn more

Monkeypox update

Polio Update

Recording/Photography Not Permitted on Premises

Office and Urgent Care Closures

Office and Urgent Care Closures

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Signs and symptoms

  • Muscle ache
  • Shooting or stabbing pain
  • Pain that radiates down your leg
  • Pain that worsens with bending, lifting, standing or walking
  • Pain that improves with reclining

What causes back pain

  • Muscle or ligament strain. Repeated heavy lifting or a sudden awkward movement can strain the back muscles and spinal ligaments. If you’re in poor physical condition, constant strain on your back can cause painful muscle spasms.
  • Bulging or ruptured discs. Discs act as cushions between the bones (vertebrae) in your spine. The soft material inside a disc can bulge or rupture and press on a nerve. However, you can have a bulging or ruptured disc without back pain. Disc disease is often found incidentally when you have spine x-rays for some other reason.
  • Osteoarthritis can affect the lower back. In some cases, arthritis in the spine can lead to a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord (spinal stenosis).
  • Skeletal irregularities. A condition in which your spine curves to the side (scoliosis) also can lead to back pain, but generally not until middle age.
  • Compression fractures can develop and cause weakness in your spine’s vertebrae.

When to see your doctor

See your provider if your back pain:

  • Causes new bowel or bladder problems
  • Is accompanied by fever
  • Follows a fall, blow to your back or other injury
  • Is severe and doesn’t improve with rest
  • Spreads down one or both legs, especially if the pain extends below the knee
  • Causes weakness, numbness or tingling in one or both legs
  • Is accompanied by unexplained weight loss

Medical care and help

Seek medical help if you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above. Back pain is a complex condition. Our physicians can identify the source of your pain with a test or imaging/scan, and working alongside our pain management and orthopedic specialists will provide a suitable treatment plan for you.