Spine health: When to seek specialist medical evaluation

Spine pain affects approximately 80% of the population at some point in their lives, according to estimates from the Brazilian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (SBOT). While many cases are benign and improve spontaneously within eight weeks, neurosurgeon Dr. Felipe Figueira warns that certain symptoms require specialized attention.

Medical evaluation is recommended if pain persists for more than four to six weeks without improvement, radiates to the arms or legs, or is accompanied by tingling, loss of strength, or a sensation of electric shocks. Other warning signs include pain that wakes a patient at night, pain following trauma, unexplained weight loss, fever, or a history of cancer.

Dr. Figueira identifies three urgent signs: progressive loss of strength, such as difficulty lifting a foot, numbness in the genital or buttock region (saddle anesthesia), and other neurological deficits.