BACK PAIN AND SCIATICA
Most back and neck pain comes from muscles, ligaments and joints, and gets much better within 4 to 6 weeks. Staying active helps it settle faster than bed rest.
Sciatica is pain that runs from the back down one leg, below the knee, often with tingling or numbness. It usually means a nerve is pressed, most often by a slipped disc, and it too improves without an operation in most people.
Call 108 or go to a hospital with an emergency department and a neurosurgeon straight away if back pain comes with:
Caspian Healthcare has no emergency department. These need a scan and a surgeon the same day.
In people with diabetes a spine infection can start slowly with back pain and a low fever. Do not ignore back pain with fever.
Pain in the back or neck, worse on moving, often after lifting, bending or a long drive. No leg or arm symptoms. Usually much better in 2 to 6 weeks.
Pain running down one leg below the knee, sometimes with tingling, numbness or weakness. The leg pain is often worse than the back pain. Most cases improve over 6 to 12 weeks.
In older people: pain, heaviness or tingling in both legs after walking a short distance, which eases on sitting or bending forward. It can be helped, and sometimes needs surgery.
A pressed nerve in the neck causes pain, tingling or weakness down one arm. Clumsy hands, trouble with buttons or an unsteady walk can mean the spinal cord itself is pressed, and need prompt review.
An operation is the right answer for a minority of people: those with a badly pressed nerve or spinal cord, warning signs, or pain that has not improved with proper treatment. When it is needed, newer keyhole (endoscopic) methods can mean a smaller cut and a quicker recovery for some patients. Whether it suits you depends on your scan.
Read more: does a slipped disc need surgery?, your spine MRI report in plain words, neck pain, burning feet and tingling legs and spine TB.
Dr. Mohammed Imran, Neurosurgeon & Spine Surgeon. MBBS, MS (General Surgery), MCh (Neurosurgery), Gandhi Medical College. Telangana Medical Council 60634.
Monday to Saturday, 4 to 5 pm. Walk in, no appointment needed. Consultation ₹600, valid for 6 days or 2 visits, whichever comes first.
There is no operation theatre at Caspian. If you need surgery, Dr. Imran operates on you himself at Mahavir Hospital or CARE Hospitals, Nampally.
Bring any MRI, CT or X-ray you have had (the films or CD and the written report), and the list of every medicine you take.
Usually not straight away. Most back pain gets better in a few weeks, and an MRI often shows changes that are normal with age and are not the cause of the pain. An MRI is needed when there are warning signs, when leg pain or weakness is not improving after about 6 weeks, or when surgery is being considered.
No. A day or two of taking it easy is fine, but staying in bed makes back pain last longer. Keep moving gently, walk a little more each day, and go back to normal activity as the pain allows.
No. Most people with a slipped disc get better with time, medicines for pain and gentle exercise. Surgery is considered when the nerve is badly pressed: weakness that is getting worse, loss of bladder or bowel control, or severe leg pain that has not improved over several weeks.
Diabetes can cause burning, tingling or numbness in both feet and legs, starting in the toes. Sciatica usually affects one leg and runs from the back or buttock down the leg. The examination tells them apart, and some people have both.
Most people can, with some changes for a few days. Staying at work, or going back early, usually helps recovery. Avoid heavy lifting and long periods sitting without a break until the pain settles.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Mohammed Imran, Neurosurgeon & Spine Surgeon, Telangana Medical Council 60634. Last reviewed 12 November 2026. General information for patients of Caspian Healthcare: your own doctor’s advice comes first.