Back pain — which specialty
Pain in the lower or upper back, which may travel down a leg.
Usually seen by
RheumatologyRehabilitation medicine
Other directions, depending on what comes with it:
- Neurosurgery — if pain runs down the leg with numbness or weakness
- Kidney and urology — if flank pain comes with fever and urinary symptoms
Not sure you have picked the right one? Start with general internal medicine — routing you to the right place is their job, not yours.
Go now, without waiting for an appointment, if any of these apply
- Back pain with numbness around the groin and back passage
- Back pain with difficulty passing urine or loss of control
- Back pain with leg weakness that is getting worse
- Back pain after a fall or an accident
- Back pain with fever, or in someone being treated for cancer
This list is not exhaustive and does not replace judgement on the spot. If something is clearly wrong and you are unsure, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest facility — waiting in order to be certain is the most dangerous way to spend the time.
What you will be asked — have the answers ready
- Where, and how far down the leg it travels
- Whether bending, arching, sitting or walking brings it on
- Whether you are stiff on waking, and for how long
- Your occupation and how you hold yourself at work
- Whether there is numbness or weakness in the leg
A first appointment is short. Having these answers ready is the cheapest way to avoid a second visit that exists only to supply information.
Bring with you
- Previous spine imaging — bring the images, not only the report page
- A description of your daily work
- A note of which position hurts most
What a first visit usually involves
- Examination of spinal movement and a straight-leg raise test
- Neurological examination of the legs
- Imaging only when indicated — most common back pain does not need a scan at first