In an interview with the Health Channel, Amir Mahajer, Interventional Spine Specialist at Baptist Health Neuroscience Center, lists possible causes of back pain that you should look out for. While back pain is usually benign, back pain in combination with other factors can point to more serious conditions that require medical attention. 

Amir states that if you have back pain in combination with fever, chills, or night sweats, it could be a sign of infection or something more serious. If you have back pain and you are elderly, or have osteoporosis, you may be dealing with a fracture. Back pain accompanied by weight loss, fever, chills, and night sweats could be an underlying cancer. Amir advises that if you have a history of cancer, you do not want to ignore back pain, especially if it worsens and becomes so severe that it disturbs your sleep. There are multiple types of cancer that can cause back pain. Frequently, it will be a metastatic disease that affects the spine. Metastatic cancer is cancer that spreads from a different region such as the prostate, breasts, or kidneys. 

Amir explains that if you have suffered a neurological injury that results in persistent back pain alongside weakness in your legs, difficult time standing up from a chair, difficulty walking, numbness around your genitals, also known as saddle anesthesia, or loss of bladder control, these could be signs that your nerves are being pinched. This is called either cauda equina syndrome or conus medullaris syndrome depending on where it is in your lower back. These symptoms should be addressed urgently if experienced. 

Watch the full segment of Amir Mahajer talking about possible conditions to look out for that are connected to back pain, here: https://youtu.be/wQApU_4LRKU