Report any pain or signs of back pain to your employer as soon as possible. If you are suffering from mild back pain, you can be off work for a week or two. If you are suffering from severe back pain, you can be off work for four weeks or more.
To minimize complications and prevent prolonged work loss, patients with low back pain should be encouraged to remain active and to support conservative care.
Most people recover from back pain and get back to work within 4 weeks. It is uncommon for workers to remain on sick leave for more than 6 months.
The Social Security Administration has a section on 'Disorders of the Spine' in its Listing of Impairments, which is typically used to determine whether back pain is compensable. In order to be considered a 'disability,' your back pain must involve, among others, one of the following: Herniated discs. Compressed nerves.
Spinal cord injury
Some spinal cord injuries, like those caused by bruising or swelling, may resolve on their own. However, injuries that result in a severed spinal cord are always permanent. Recovery usually includes physical therapy that focuses on regaining communication and limb strength.
A common cause of back pain is injury to a muscle or ligament. These strains and sprains can occur for many reasons, including improper lifting, poor posture and lack of regular exercise. Being overweight may increase the risk of back strains and sprains.
Back conditions often prevent people from working and cause financial hardships for them and their families. If you have back pain that affects your ability to work, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
Additionally, California law prohibits your employer from firing you because you reported suffering a back injury at work.
Back muscle strains typically heal with time, many within a few days, and most within 3 to 4 weeks. Most patients with mild or moderate lumbar strains make a full recovery and are free of symptoms within days, weeks, or possibly months.
Contact your health care provider for back pain that: Lasts longer than a few weeks. Is severe and doesn't improve with rest. Spreads down one or both legs, especially if the pain goes below the knee.
A common cause of back pain is an injury like a pulled muscle (strain). Sometimes, medical conditions like a slipped disc, sciatica (a trapped nerve) or ankylosing spondylitis can cause back pain. Very rarely, back pain can be a sign of a serious problem such as a broken bone, cancer or an infection.
A herniated disk (or “bulging” disk or “slipped” disk) is a condition that can cause severe back pain and develop into a disability. Bulging or herniated disks are a common cause of back pain and can prevent you from working. Back pain is a common reason for SSDI disability claim payments.
So what spine disorders qualify for disability? Common disabling spinal disorders include cervical spinal stenosis, lumbar spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, facet arthritis, spinal arachnoiditis, herniated discs, and vertebral fractures.
If you have a sedentary job, your back pain could cause you to slouch for hours on end. Other ways your symptoms can affect you at work include: Decision making: When you are focusing on your pain, or suffer from fatigue because you cannot sleep, your cognitive abilities suffer.
Dealing with back pain
Sometimes the pain can make you miserable but you should still take control of the pain. In the early stages: avoid bed rest - prolonged bed rest is harmful. stay active (including work) - your back is designed for movement so the sooner you start doing your ordinary activities the better.
You Can Return to Work While Still Being Treated
For instance, if your doctor says you can work, but should not stay on your feet for long hours, your employer may offer a desk job until you are completely healed, or allow you to take more breaks to rest.
But getting back to work and other activities may actually help you get better. This is because movement keeps your back flexible and the muscles strong, and staying in bed or avoiding activity for more than a day or two can actually make your pain worse.