You’re instructed to lift a heavy object at work, and you do the best you can. Unfortunately, there’s just no way for you to do it safely on your own. You end up injuring your back, and the pain is fairly serious.
However, when you tell your boss what happened, they act like it isn’t a big deal. They point out that back pain is incredibly common, and they suggest that you probably just strained it, and it’s fine. They may even say that you could’ve had a pre-existing condition, as many people deal with daily back pain. How do you know if your issue is actually far more severe than your boss believes?
Consider your other symptoms
One thing to think about is if your symptoms extend beyond what you would expect. For example, if you have a herniated disc, the pain can often spread to other parts of the body. This is because the nerves themselves are being irritated by liquid from the herniated desk. If your back pain begins to turn into neck or leg pain, then you know that it’s more than just a strain of your back muscles.
You also want to consider if it limits your mobility. Simple back pain might be uncomfortable, but you should be able to work and live as you normally would. If you certainly can’t do so because your range of motion has decreased, even when you take minor painkillers, then you know that you’ve done something fairly serious. It may require surgery or a different type of medical procedure.
So, while back pain may be common, you can also see that it’s something you can’t take lightly. Make sure you know about what options you have as an employee.