The majority of ER visits for low back pain don’t require emergency attention. The only time you should go to the ER for evaluation is if the low back is accompanied with lower extremity paralysis, loss of bowel or bladder function, or a fever. Instead, patients almost always better off coming to an interventional pain clinic where a more comprehensive treatment plan can be implemented.
Here are a few reasons why it’s preferable to visit a pain clinic rather than the ER when suffering with low back pain.
- Long Waiting Time
A visit to the ER for back pain treatment can take hours because the ER staff must first tend to the patients with more emergent and life threatening conditions. Once you are seen by the ER staff, its unlikely that advanced imaging such as an MRI will be ordered because of the non-emergent nature of low back pain. Additionally, if you need a procedure such as a nerve block or epidural steroid injection, you’re unlikely to receive in the ER because those types of procedures are considered non-emergent. Instead of a procedure to treat the pain you’ll receive a referral to a pain clinic. Avoid the hassle of waiting in an emergency room with low back pain and instead come straight to the pain clinic where you can receive same day care.
- Scans and X-rays Aren’t Always Helpful
It is common for people to believe that they’ll get x-rays or scans done at the ER. However, it’s not correct to expect that these tests will be helpful in diagnosing the cause of the pain. In fact, unless you’ve had an accident, fall, or some type of trauma, you’re unlikely to have advanced imaging such as an MRI ordered for you.
Emergency departments usually have very limited resources, which have to be kept available for the true emergencies
- ER’s Don’t Do Injections Or Pain Procedures
The doctors in the Emergency Rooms usually start by prescribing low level pain medications such as ibuprofen or a Medrol dose pack which may not be effective in reducing back pain. ER physicians usually don’t perform pain procedures or provide advanced injections for back pain. Additionally, the recent opioid epidemic has resulted in significant restrictions on opioid prescribing in emergency rooms. Patients brought to the ER for back pain often leave without their underlying pain issue addressed and end up with a costly medical bill as well.
Pain clinics, on the other hand, aren’t just comparatively cost-effective, but they can also perform same day procedures and imaging to treat and diagnose low back pain.
So, whenever you have severe back pain, it is best to avoid going to ER and instead choose a local pain clinic to get instant relief and save yourself the hassle.